Adventures of a Young Matt Dillon
by Dakota Kid
Summary: Chapter 19: Doc Adams gets to have a little fun.
1. Chapter 1

_Inspired by Caleb in the Town Tamers. Luke is also inspired by Matt's good friend "Luke" in the town tamers and don't be surprised if you see other good friends from Matt's past showing up in later chapters like Hack. My goal is to take this story to the point of where Matt decides to become a Marshal or into his first years as a lawman. So if you have ideas, suggestions, etc. please send them my way as right now I am flying by the seat of my pants! _

_Disclaimer: I don't own 'em!_

It was a cold, dark, January night. As the couple escorted their daughter to the orphanage where she would give her four day old son away. The girl, who had just turned sixteen, fought hard to keep the tears at bay until finally allowing them to stream down her face, she didn't want this, didn't want it for her baby; she and John had had plans to run away. They had planned on doing it before their baby was born but he had come early and her parents, fearing that someone in their upstanding community would find out, were now forcing her to do this. Forcing her to come to this orphanage and hand her son over to some caring nun who would find a home for him. Then she would be taken home, taken home to pretend that she was never pregnant with a poor farm boy's child, so that she could marry the wealthy neighbor's son and make her parents proud. The girl, who's name was Hannah cried all the harder at the thought. John was a nice boy, a good boy, but her parents didn't agree and now they were bringing her here. As they made it to the door way, Hannah looked up, Lawrence County Orphanage. She let that burn into her memory; someday she _would_ return here and find her child. Someday.

The kindly sisters opened the door to the huddled trio when Hannah's father knocked and escorted them in. Hannah looked into the faces of those sisters and cried all the harder. Her tears wetting the blanket that cocooned her four day old son in its warmth.

"I'm Sister Bernice." The older of the two nuns that had answered the door said. "Is this the child?"

"Yes." Hannah heard her father say. Then he took her baby from her arms and handed him over to Sister Bernice.

Sister Bernice opened the blanket and looked in at the baby boy. "How old is he?" she asked.

"4 days." Hannah's mother said, her voice sounding slightly choked.

"Goodness, he isn't all that old is he?" Sister Bernice said. "We'll rest assured that we will try to place him with a family as soon as possible. What do you call him?"

"She didn't name him." Hannah's father spoke before she could. Hannah had named him she just hadn't told anyone else. Her father had forbid her too, and her mother going along with his wishes had said that it would be easier for her if she didn't name him. She had said the same thing when Hannah had been six years old, when she had brought home that kitten and her father made her give it away, saying they had no use for a cat.

"Oh. Well then we shall name him and prepare a birth certificate here." Sister Bernice said.

Shortly after that, Hannah and her parents left, but before she walked out the door, Hannah said to the sister, "Sister, when you n-name h-him." She said, working hard to hold back further tears, "Please give him Dillon for a last name please. It was his father's middle name and he deserves that much." Hannah was able to get out the words with out crying. Then she walked away, hurrying to catch up with her parents quietly back into the night towards their buggy.

Sister Bernice watched the girl and her parents walk away before she devoted her full attention to the baby in her arms. Looking down at the wee lad she fully uncovered his head, taking in his dark wispy hair and round cherub face. Slowly, she let her mind wander over all the great men in the bible. Slowly she ran through names, Daniel, Joseph, Mark, Luke, John, Matthew. As the name Matthew crossed her mind, she looked down at the baby and then at Sister Sara who had just walked into the room. "Sara, what do you think of a name for this wee one?"

"I don't know. The last baby boy that we had come in we named John, so I suppose we shouldn't have two John's." Sara said, coming over to look at the baby in Bernice's arms. "My, what a darling boy. Where did he come from?"

"A young girl and her parents. She said that he's four days old." Bernice said.

"Hmm…yes. Well to do family?" Sara asked, continuing to look down at the bundle of baby in Bernice's arms.

"Yes." Sister Bernice said. "It's sad when it happens to those girls too."

Sara sighed and looked at the baby again, "Yes it is. Probably more so, because those parents will take that girl home and they'll pretend that it never happened. They'll no more remember this baby than this little one could remember all the names of the patron saints." She said.

Sister Bernice laid the boy down and began to unwrap him, finding that he was clean and well dressed in a sleep shirt. She checked is bottom to make sure that it was still dry and then kissing him lightly, wrapped him back up and took him up the stairs to put him down with the other children for the night.

_2 years later…._

"Matthew!" Sister Sara called, watching the boy as he toddled across the front yard. It was April and a lovely day. "Matthew, come back child."

The boy stopped and smiled back at her. "Hee!" he said before he turned around and came back to Sara. Scooping him up into her arms, she kissed a chubby cheek and again wondered why the people that came to adopt always passed him over. He was an adorable child, dark curls, and big blue eyes. What kind of plan did God have for this wee one that didn't include him going to a loving home with two parents who would love him and raise him as their own? She wondered that each time a young couple came in to adopt a child, looking over each one as if they were buying a horse and each time passing over little Matthew. Sara could have cried when the last couple came. Matthew had been sitting in the line of children, there were five of them this time, and Matthew, the poor boy, was sitting there, all smiles as the mother-to-be looked over each child and then made her choice, their dear sweet little Mary. While Sara was very happy that Mary went to a good home, she had felt badly for Matthew. Poor Matthew had looked as if he were going to cry, he held his little arms out to the woman and she ignored him. Totally ignored him. How could any one overlook such a sweet child? Sister Sara knew she wasn't supposed to be having those kinds of thoughts but she always did about the children, especially the ones that stayed with them for any extended period of time.

"What are we going to do with you, hmm, Matthew?" she asked the little boy in his arms.

His response was to pat her face with his chubby hands and laugh.

Sara set him down and took his hand. "Alright little one, it's time to go back and play with the other children."

As they slowly made their way back to where the other three children were playing Sara thought about all of them. Since Matthew had come to them as a four day old baby a lot had happened. For one, Sister Bernice, rest her soul, had passed on. Her replacement, Sister Margaret was a much harder woman and had since forbade the sisters from becoming attached to the children that were in their care. However, for as long as Matthew had been there, it was hard to not become attached to him. Now to make things worse, the orphanage was going to be closed down and these children would be scattered to the four winds and well, Sara was afraid, she would loose track of this child that had become so special to her.

_Six Years Later….Frankton Orphanage_

Eight year old Matthew Dillon had been moved again. When he was three he had been moved from the Lawrence Orphanage to a foster family that had four other children, all under the age of six, after that he had been moved to another family that had more older children, then it was off to another orphanage and now here. All of his possessions were on his back and in his hand was a small wooden train that had been given to him when he was two years old by one of the sisters at the Lawrence Orphanage where he had lived until he was three years old. Now he was eight. A polite, quiet boy who mostly stayed to himself. That was until trouble found him, which seemed to be more often than not. As it was now, Matt was about to get himself into trouble again. Setting the small train down on a stump he walked up to Danny O'Toole and prepared himself to do battle.

Danny was two years older and at least one hundred and fifty pounds heavier than Matt, who while he was tall, was slight of build. Danny was a bully and often picked on the younger children, including Matt and especially the girls. The bullying was what started today's altercation. Matt raised his fist and drowned out the jaunts, cheers and jeers from the other boys that now surrounded him and Danny in a circle. He took the first punch to his jaw, feeling his head snap back and his world went black.

Luke was getting worried about the younger boy that he had pulled out of the fight with Danny O'Toole. Luke was the oldest child in the orphanage at the time but had been planning for several weeks now to run away. He was tired of the chores, beatings and all the other things that went along with being an unwanted child. He sat and watched closely, worrying the younger boy might not wake up after being knocked out by Danny. He wanted to tell the boy that he had taken care of Danny and he wouldn't be picking on him or anyone else for a while, that was if he didn't want to get into trouble with the foster father.

Watching and waiting, Luke was glad to see the other boy begin to stir. He knew that he had just come to this orphanage, most likely from the looks of him, another orphanage. That was sad, it was bad enough that Luke was in here but he always hated seeing the little kids in these places. It was then that the idea struck him; maybe he could get this other boy to come with him, to run away and join a round-up or some other adventure.

The younger boy sat up, looking confused as his sight landed on Luke. The boy looked like he was still ready and able to do battle so he said hurriedly, "My name is Luke, what yourin'?"

"Matt." The younger boy said.

"Nice to meet you Matt. Say you took quite a punch back there, what was that all about anyway?'

Matt just shook his head. "I'm not sure." Matt said, shaking his head as if to clear it. "I just got here a while ago." Then he stood up and began dragging his foot through the dirt. "I sure wish that I could get outta here."

This gave Luke the perfect opportunity. "Can you keep quiet?"

"Sure I can." Matt said, looking at the older boy.

"I'm plannin' to run away, get out of here and go get a job. I don't need to takin' care of anymore anyhow." Luke said.

Matt's eyes lit up at the idea. "You thinkin' ya could use a partner?"

"Sure, I am." Luke said.

Matt struggled to his feet and stuck out his hand. "Then I'm it."

Luke and Matt became good friends after that and spent a lot of time together. They were planning their escape carefully, though they were sure that the foster parents wouldn't really notice or care if they were gone. Still the boys had to plan their escape carefully and bide their time.

_Hey all—suggestions are always welcome. Also I need a yay or nay on the title for this story. If I get a better suggestion I will change it. Thanks!_


	2. Chapter 2

_Sorry- I've had this written for a couple days but right now things are NUTTY! Monday my horse cut her leg so the chore load around here has increased because of that._

I don't own 'em! But I sure wish I did!

As the boys planned their escape from the Frankton Orphanage, Luke went over a lot of things with his young partner. "Now look, youngster," Luke said taking on his most adult tone, "Once we get out of here, your going to keep goin' to school and get your learnin'."

Matt laughed at his friends tone, he sounded like a school marm "School? Who needs school?" he asked.

Luke looked down at the younger boy, "Matt, I think you need to go to school. Don't you ever want to make something of yourself?" Luke asked.

"I never thought about it." Matt said thoughtfully. "But if we're movin' around workin' how am I supposed to go to school?"

"Well I've had learnin' to the eighth grade so I can teach you. I still have a few of my books and such." Luke said.

"Ok. So what else do I gotta know?" Matt asked, his blue eyes looking up to meet the eyes of his taller friend.

"We have to lay low. If folks get suspicious then we'll be right back in one of these places." Luke said, looking disgustedly over at the house that was not a home. "So we gotta tell people a story, that we're older than we really are."

Matt, always having been an honest boy looked at his friend, "You want us to lie?"

"Well do you want to stay here until your old enough to wear long britches?" Luke asked.

Matt, thoughtful for a minute and looking down, finally looked up, "Well," he said slowly, "No."

"Then your going to have to learn how to avoid the truth a little bit and let folks think your older than you are." Luke said. "Besides, your big enough to pass for 10 or 12."

Matt grinned at that. "Really?"

"Yup." Luke said. "Now come on, we have a lot of work to do before we can make this all work out."

"Work? I thought we were just gonna take our stuff and go." Matt said, following Luke as he walked away from where they were sitting under an old cottonwood tree.

"Well we could but we might get awful hungry." Luke said. "So we're going to start takin' a few things and puttin' 'em in that sack. It's stuffed in that rotted out cottonwood."

Matt again looked at his friend with the round inquisitive eyes of an eight year old. "But Luke, that's stealin'!"

"I know it is, but you know what, we would have gotten at least a little of it anyway."

"What if we get caught?" Matt asked.

"What if we do?" Luke said with a small laugh. "We get a whoopin' from the old man and we have to wait a while before we try leavin' again."

_Sorry so short but I promise more. Please review…they offer inspiration._


	3. Chapter 3

Adventures of a Young Matt Dillon- 3

_Well here's chapter 3..._

Disclaimer: I don't own 'em.

For the next two weeks Matt and Luke slowly took things from the house and hid them in the war sack they had stuffed in a hollowed out log. They took salt, jerkey that the old man had made after going on a hunting trip, and apples from the cellar. Luke also took rifle shells for the rifle that he was planning on sneeking out with them when they left.

When the night arrived the boys were lucky enough to have a full moon that would make travel easy. They waited until the house was quiet before begining to make their move. Luke told Matt, "You take our blankets and go out to our meeting spot. I'll be along shortly."

The eight year old nodded silently and looked at his friend. Then he picked up the before mentioned items and crawled out the window. Matt had a little bit of an idea what Luke was planning to do and he wasn't sure that he liked it. He knew that they needed a gun, would have to have it, but he also knew that it was wrong for them to take it. Sure Matt had given in on the food, they needed food but they could live with out a gun for a while couldn't they? Matt silently carried the blankets and his shoes to the place that he and Luke had agreed to meet. When he got there he simply sat down and pondered what to do. What is something happened to Luke? He hadn't thought about that...what if the old man thought it was a robber and shot Luke outright. The thoughts whirred through Matt's young mind until he was sweating and looking out into the moonlight night with nervous blue eyes.

Finally, Luke came, carrying the rifle under his arm. "Are you ready to go?"

Matt stood and wiped his wet hands on his pants, "Yeah." He picked up thier blankets and the war sack and the boys set off side by side into the darkness.

_Three days later..._

Matt wasn't sure how far they had walked over the past few days but his feet felt like they had went a million miles. He decided it had to be his shoes so he said to Luke, "Hey, can we stop a minute?"

Luke was a head of him and he stopped and turned around and looked at the younger boy, "Sure, what's wrong? Are you tired already?"

"No, but Luke my feet sure do hurt. I think I'm gonna take my shoes off." Matt said. He pulled the stiff shoes off and then his thin, holey socks. Wiggling his toes in the soft soil under his feet he sighed. "That feels a lot better."

"Good now lets get going again." Luke said.

Matt stuffed the shoes into the war bag and stood up. Then he had to trot to catch up with Luke who had already taken off again.

By nightfall the boys were in the town, hungry and tired they first went to the stable. "Follow my lead, Matt." Luke said.

Matt watched in awe as his friend approached the owner of the stable. "Say mister, me an my brother here, we was wonderin' if we couldn't bed down here for the night?"

The man looked both the boys over thoroughly before answering. "Well if you'd be willin' to stay and sweep things out in the mornin' I suppose you can sleep in that empty stall down there."

"Thank ya mister." Luke said.

Matt followed suit and said, "Thank you."

The man walked away and Matt and Luke made their way to the before mentioned empty stall to make a somewhat suitable bed on their blankets in the stall. As soon as their blankets were down both boys flopped down into the soft straw. "Boy, I don't think I've ever been so tired in my life." Matt said. Even at his young age he hated saying it, having learned from the get go that showing weakness was a disadvantage when one lived in an orphanage. There weakness would be preyed upon and used against you at every turn. There were no nurturing mothers or supportive fathers, only hard labor and fighting for everything.

Luke looked at the younger boy and thought that maybe he had been wrong in bringing him with him but then he mentally shook his head, no, he knew that Matt Dillon was made of some pretty tough stuff and that he would definitely make it through, Luke just knew it. Digging in the war bag he was glad to find two pieces of the jerkey but that was it. He pulled them out and handed on to Matt. "That's the last of it. I suppose tomorrow we'll have to try and work a little, get a little money to buys some crackers or something."

Matt put the jerkey in his mouth and sucked on it to soften it a little before saying. "That's alright. I'm not afraid of hard work."

Luke smiled and didn't say anything but he thought, _Yeah, I know your not kid._

The next morning both Luke and Matt woke early and got right to work cleaning stalls and watering the horses that were housed there. By the time that the stable owner showed up the boys were almost done with the watering and cleaning and all that was left was to feed the horses.

The stable owner whose name was Gil Berkley was surprised at how efficient and quick the boys were. He shook his head and wondered why he and his Mae hadn't been blessed with boys like this as well as wondering where these two had come from. He was sure that they were not as old they were trying to put on that they were. This made Gil feel sorry for them as well so he said, "Boy, you boys sure did a good job this mornin'. How 'bout we finish up heah and I take ya to get sum breakfast." Gil watched as his words had the desired effect as two pairs of eyes light up like Christmas trees at the mention of food. "My wife, Mae, she's a right good cook and I know that she's like to put somethin' on for ya'll."

"Thank ya, Mister." Luke said. "We'd rightly appreciate it."

"Yes, sir, thank you." Matt said.

The promise of food helped the two starving boys to work faster and soon they were in Gil's wagon heading back towards his house. "Sir?" Luke said.

"Yup?" Gil answered.

"I'm sorry I was so rude, but I plumb forgot to ask yer name." Luke said.

"Oh! I guess I'm just as rude, I didn't give it to ya either. Name's Gil Berkley." Gil said, offering the boy his hand. He was surprised when Luke took, finding that he had a rather strong grip for a youngster.

On the wagon ride to the Berkley's house on the outskirts of town they passed a field where some men were working and it was then that Luke and Matt both had their first taste of the cruelty of slavery. As they went by they were witness to a young black man being beaten by one of white men who probably owned the field. After going by Gil shook his head and said to the two boys, "I know that most people say it ain't Southern to not support it, but I just couldn't bring myself to want to own another man."

Both boys, but especially Matt took those words to heart. Matt didn't think that he could ever want to own another man either. Wasn't the world violent and cruel enough with out that too?

When they reached the Berkley house, Gil's wife, Mae emerged, wiping her hands on the apron that was tied around her waist. "Gil, what are you doing home this time of day?" she asked before seeing Matt and Luke in the wagon.

"Wal' Mae, ya know those two lil fellers I told ya about? They did such a good job this mornin' that I thought I'd bring 'em home and get 'em some breakfast."

"Oh goodness! Yes, you boys get right down and I'll get started frying up some eggs and maybe a little salt pork." Mae said. In a swish of skirts she was gone and into the house, preparing breakfast for two boys that she didn't know from Adam.

"Ya boys can go on over ta the pump tare and clean up a mite if ya want." Gil said. He was watching his wife through the open door of the house, hoping she didn't over do herself. While he had no problem feeding the two boys who had slept in his stable and then did such a good job of cleaning they were by no means rich people and couldn't afford to lay out a feast for these two.

Luke nodded at Matt and they went over to the pump, where they washed the dirt and grime from their travels from their faces, hands and necks. Soon they were pink cheeked and sitting at Mae and Gil Berkley's kitchen table.

Mae talked a mile a minute, asking the boys their names, where they were from and where they planned to go. Luke and Matt answered politely but tried not to give away to information. They also kept up the story that they were brothers for the couple who so far was being so kind to them.

After a hearty breakfast and thanking Mae Berkley, Matt and Luke once again climbed into the back of Gil's wagon and rode back to town with him. Then they gathered their things and head off down the streets of the small town that they had found themselves in. They hadn't gone far when they heard shouting. Wondering what was going on the boys followed the noise and found themselves in a huge crowd of men.

Pushing their way under arms and elbows they made it to the inner edge of the crowd and were horrified at what they saw. The young black man that they had seen earlier that day was standing on a make-shift gallows, his back beaten and bloody, a noose around his neck. Men were shouting horrid things like "Hang 'em!" and "Them kind ain't fit to live."

Luke decided then and there that Matt didn't need to see things like that, so he grabbed his arm and pulled him out of the crowd. "Come on Matt, lets get out of this town."

Matt held firm though. "No! Luke, we should try to do something to help him."

Luke grabbing ahold of Matt again said, "Matt, there's nothing we can do."

"Well can't we at least try?" Matt asked, his blue eyes pleading with his friend.

"No, Matt. There are somethings that one shouldn't get involved in." Luke said.

Matt followed Luke, while not happy about not trying to do something, he followed anyway. Someday he told himself, someday he would do something. Someday.

_Hurray! Another crappy ending from me! Please let me know what you think. Thanks._


	4. Chapter 4

_Sorry so long in posting a new chapter. Things have been kinda busy around here. _

_I don't own 'em. So on and so forth. I think you all know the drill by now._

The boys made their way across the prairies, enjoying the openness and freedom, as well as the lack of scolding and chores, but it also gave them both time to think about a lot of things.

They had walked for almost five miles before Luke spoke, "What are ya thinkin' about Matt?" he asked. He was wondering if the younger boy was thinking about his parents as he often thought about his. Loosing first his younger brother and sister to the fever and then his ma had been hard enough but to loose his pa to the bottle had been much worse. Folks had talked about that and because of it, Luke had been looked down upon as well, like because his father had tried to drown his sorrows in bottle after bottle of cheap whiskey had been Luke's fault or doing somehow. They just didn't understand what it was like to loose everything.

Matt's thoughts were on his family too, only he was wondering what had happened to the kind Sisters you had raised him through his early years. They were the only "family" he knew about. That had always been the hardest thing to explain growing up in the orphanage, where he came from, because he didn't know and of course the other kids always asked. They always asked about your folks and if you had any brothers or sisters. Sometimes those things were a right of passage into one group or another, other times it was the thing that made you an outcast.

Matt had been pretty lonely before Luke had shown up and befriended him. Being a quiet child that tried to behave and stay unnoticed had not been asset to Matt in the eyes of the other boys. They had taunted and teased, called him a sissy and a girl. Thus, making him develop a tough exterior and even tougher fists. He didn't suppose there were many boys his age that had broken their noses in fist fights. All he remember about that particular fight was the blinding pain and having trouble getting his nose to stop bleeding. He couldn't go to the house mother because he probably would have ended up with a spanking to go to the broken nose.

So when Luke showed up and taken a liking to him, Matt hadn't objected. Sometimes he even pretended that Luke was his older brother. He had always wanted one but knew that the reality that was Matt Dillon was to be alone. He sighed and looked over at Luke who was still tromping along side of him.

Luke happened to look over at him at the same time so he asked, "What's wrong kid?"

"Nothin'." Matt said.

"Well you look like your thinkin' awful hard about somethin'." Luke said.

"I was just wonderin', wonderin' about my parents." Matt finally admitted.

"I take it you never knew 'em."

"Nope."

"That's sad." Luke said, looking down at the ground. "Makes me feel bad for hatin' my pa."

"Why do ya hate your pa?" Matt asked, slightly confused.

"Because he let pain eat at him and drank himself to death." Luke said.

Matt thought about that for a moment before saying, "Maybe it's better that I don't have a ma and pa if they do stuff like that."

"No kid, never think that. Besides, you have a ma and pa out there somewhere. Have you ever thought about trying to find them?"

"Nope." Matt said. He wasn't sure he wanted to try something like that. They didn't want him for some reason and he felt it was better that he just not know any better than to be turned away.

_Philadelphia, Mass._

Hannah Wilson was preparing to return home. After her parents made her give her son away she had come east, to get the proper training to be a fine lady. Every year on his birthday she spent the day alone, as she had this year. He had turned eight years old this past January. Eight years old. Hannah found that hard to believe, her son, her baby was eight years old. She had gone back to the orphanage where she had left him once when he would have been about three but had been turned away, but not before seeing him. All big blue eyes and brown curls he really was a beautiful child, but before she could go to him, gather him in her arms, the Sisters had turned her away. They told her that she had given him up and that was that. Her son didn't know her and that was for the best if he was ever to be adopted. When she had went back a few years later she found the place shut down and in shambles.

Lost in her own thoughts Hannah did not here her husband Jesse come up behind her until he placed a hand on her back. "Hello there mama." He whisphered into her ear.

"Oh!" Hannah said a little surprised to find him there. "Hello darling."

"Hello. I still don't know why you insist that we go back to Texas." Jesse said, a look of disgust on his face.

"Jesse, darling, John Dillon Yates was a good friend of mine while growing up, I think that it is only appropriate that I go and pay my last respects to him." Hannah said in way of explanation. Jesse was unaware that eight years ago John had fathered a child with her, a child that he never even got to see. It was only right that she be there when they laid him in the ground.

"Well I'm worried about you and the baby, Hannah. I mean this is going to be a long hard trip and you've been having those fainting spells here lately."

Again Hannah tried to reassure her worrisome husband. "Jesse, I'll be fine. Besides, you'll be there with me."

"I know, but I'm still going to worry."

Hannah laughed and laid her hand on his arm. "What time was the stage supposed to arrive?"

"Soon."

_Somewhere in South Central Texas_

"I suppose we should stop and camp for the night soon." Luke said looking at the position of the sun.

Matt only nodded. He was tired and knew that resting would feel good.

They walked for a ways longer until they come upon a clump of trees. They chose to make their camp there and after laying out their blankets and shooting a rabbit to cook, the boys finally allowed themselves to relax a little.

"Well," Luke said, "If my estimation is right, we should be somewhere right close to where you started out at the Frankton Orphanange."

"Really? Why we goin' back there?"

"I don't know." Luke said, shrugging his shoulders. "I'm hopin that we can get on with some cattle drives or somethin'."

"Hmm. That sounds good." Matt said.

Little did the boys know, they were setting into the adventure of a lifetime.


	5. Chapter 5

chapter 5: AYMD

1860-Civil War

A few days later Hannah and Jesse arrived in Fort Worth, where they would watch them lay Corporal John Dillon Yates to rest. Hannah sighed as she thought of how John had made so much more of himself than just a simple farmer. After he had found that Hannah had given their child away he left, and no one heard anything of him for quite sometime until his father, David, put word out in the community that John had joined the army. That had made David and Angela proud of their son. Hannah had already been back east in Philadelphia by then but had heard from her mother through a simple snipet of news that John was in the army, helping clear Texas of Mexicans and Indians. However, as quickly as John moved up in ranks for showing his bravery in war, his life was taken. Thus, the reason that Hannah and her husband Jesse were going to Fort Worth. Hannah knew that Jesse was upset with her and didn't understand why she wanted to go back to the funeral of an old lover or friend as she had explained it to him, but Hannah felt it was necessary, necessary to see the father of her son laid to rest.

Luke and Matt were getting closer, closer to the bustling Fort Worth. What had made it's start as an Army camp was slowly turning into one of the bigger cities in Texas. "Do you think we'll be able to find work in Fort Worth?" Matt asked Luke.

"I sure hope so Matt. We may have to bust our tails but I think we can sure find something to do here. It's a good thing that you're as big as you are too…it'll help us when we're looking for work."

When the boys arrived in Fort Worth the first place Luke took them was the stable, where they were told that they weren't needed and basically run out. They tried the stage depot next.

The man looked both boys over, slightly ragged and dirty before he nodded at them. "I suppose I can use a couple yougun's for a few days. How old are ya?"

"I'm 15." Luke lied.

Matt followed his friends lead, "I'm 14."

The man looked them both over again before saying, "Where are you boys from?"

Again Matt looked to Luke who seemed to be a hand at telling half truths and keeping them out of trouble and in work. "Were from around the area." Luke said.

"I see." The man said. "Wal, like I said, I can prolly use a couple a boys around here to help out for a few days."

The next morning Matt and Luke started their new job at the stage depot unloading bags and assisting the passengers by carrying their bags to the hotel. That was the best part for the boys, because the upper class passengers usually tipped them a penny or nickel. After discovering that the boys worked twice as hard to be the best bag totters that they could.

Hannah and Jesse arrived in Fort Worth late that afternoon. Hannah, was tired and sore after the long ride and said so to Jesse. "Jess, honey, I just want to go directly to the hotel." She said.

"Yes dear."

When the couple stepped out onto the boardwalk, Jesse was relieved to see two boys standing near the front door of the depot. He sorely hoped that they worked there and would be willing to help him get himself and his wife's things. He climbed down out of the stage and then offered his hand up to Hannah.

Hannah took Jesse's hand and stepped down from the stage and then she saw him. A little boy with the bluest of eyes and dark brown curls. The sight of him made her gasp and she clutched Jesse's hand. She was unsure of what her and John's child looked like but there was something familiar about that boys eyes, that scarred her. She stayed close to Jesse as she watched the men and boys begin to unload the bags from the stage onto the board walk. Then the boy came up to her and Jesse and Hannah lost her ability to speak. Here he was standing so close that she could see the pale freckles sprinkled on his nose and cheeks and those blue, blue eyes.

"Can I help you folks get your things to the hotel?" Matt asked the couple. They looked nice and Luke had told him that they would probably give him a nickel for his help.

Jesse looked at his wife and when she didn't respond he said, "Yes, young man. That would be most appreciated, my wife isn't feeling well and needs to go and rest."

"Yes sir." Matt said. He picked up the two heavy carpetbags and allowed the couple to lead the way.

After arriving at their hotel and room, Jesse tipped the boy who had carried he and Hannah's bags and then went in to check on his wife. He found her with tears flowing down her cheeks and an expression that looked like she had seen a ghost. "Darling, what's wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing." Hannah said, and shook her head. Wiping her eyes. It couldn't be him, there was no way that she had just walked down the street with her own child carrying her carpet bags for her. She wiped her eyes again and looked at Jesse, "As soon as the funeral is over, I'd like to go home."


	6. Chapter 6

Adventures of a Young Matt Dillon

_Ok so not so much adventure yet huh? Well, I am proud to say taht it will get more adventerous in a few chapters...just gotta wrap up this little deal with Hannah and Matt. Enjoy!_

After reaching their room, Hannah turned to the boy following obediently behind her and Jesse. She just had to ask, she could explain to Jesse later but she had to ask this child who he was. "May I ask your name?" she asked the boy, bending down towards him.

Matt smiled a boyish, bashful grin. "My names Matthew, but most folks call me Matt."

Hannah was sure that her heart stopped. Matthew...what a perfect name. Her next question came spilling forth without much thought. "How old are you Matt?"

Matt continued with his "age" in case the lady told the boss. "I'm 14." He said this proudly and again smiled at the lady.

Hannah felt tears touch her eyes unbidden, she was sure that this boy was her child but he was not, her and John's boy would not be that old. She wiped at her eyes and smiled at the boy again. "Thank you Matt. Can we call for you again to take our bags back to the depot in the morning?" She handed the child a dollar gold piece.

Matt's eyes lit up like a sunrise and he eagerly nodded his head. "Oh yes ma'am! Yes, ma'am!" Matt cried.

Hannah smiled at the boys exuberance. "Well lets see, you show up here at 1:00 tommorrow afternoon and I will personally assure that you are the only one that carries Mr. Wilson and I's bags to the depot."

"Yes ma'am." Matt said. He put the bags down, shoved the dollar in his pocket and ran down the stairs. He had to show Luke, that was their best tip ever.

Matt ran down the street, going so fast that he didn't see the man coming out of the bank. He ran full into him, knocking himself to the ground and gaining a curse from the man. "What do you think your doing now, you young holigan!" the man hollered at Matt.

"I'm sorry sir!" Matt said hastily. He picked himself up and didn't even notice that the young man he had practically bowled over in his haste to go find Luke carried a doctor's bag.

Young Galen Adams had just stepped out of the bank when he was run into full speed by that darn kid. He huffed adn adjusted his jacket before he set off to go down the street. He really would be happy to get back to Boston where he belonged. He huffed again and set off down the street.

When Matt reached the depot, he found Luke and grabbed him by the arm, dancing excitedly, "Luke, Luke, lookee!" he said holding out the dollar gold piece.

Luke grabbed it out of Matt's hand and said, "Whooowee, Matt. Who gave this?"

"That lady that had me carry her bags to the hotel. An guess what?" Matt said, his words rushed with excitement.

"What?" Luke asked.

"She asked me to come back tomorrow and carry her bags again, back down here to the depot. At 1 o'clock."

"A repeat job huh? Well if that don't beat all!" Luke said. Then he had an idea and excitedly whisphered to Matt. "Hey we can get an old town drunk to buy us a bottle with all this money. Do ya wanna?"

Matt grinned, like a typical pre-teen boy, thinking about his first drink of rye whiskey. "Sure, that sounds like a good idea, Luke."

When the boss let the boys go later that evening they went back to the stable to find the old drunk they had seen there earlier. Luke told Matt, "This should be pretty easy, when my Pa got where he couldn't get around and outta the house anymore, he would send me into town to buy his whiskey for him. Well since I couldn't go in the saloons I always had to get the ole town drunk to go and do it for me. I think we should have good luck here."

Matt watched in awe as Luke approached the man and made a deal with him, Luke wanted him to buy two bottles, and the old man got to keep one. The old man rushed out of the stable, telling the boys to wait right there and he would be right back with thier bottle and his.

"This is gonna be a a great night Matt. A great night."


	7. Chapter 7

Adventures of a Young Matt Dillon

Chapter 7

Disclaimer: See chapter 1.

It took over an hour for the drunk to bring back the bottle of rye whiskey that Luke had asked him to buy and the teenager had been getting worried that the drunk maybe wasn't going to show back up. He was also starting to rethink his decision on taking the bottle, getting Matt started down a path that he had seen kill his father. Luke was no stranger to drinking and had often did so with his father and even with his friends at the ripe old age of nine years old. But the old drunk showed back up and Luke took the bottle from him. He also saw the man was smoking so he asked him for some papers and smoking tobacco. Shakily, the drunk handed those items over as well.

"Come on Matt, lets go find someplace to enjoy this." Luke said.

Matt followed obediently and they went down by the river. There Luke showed Matt how to fill the paper with tobacco and roll it into a cigarette. The first drag had Matt coughing and choking and Luke laughing at him. To stop the coughing Matt grabbed the bottle of whiskey and took a long drink. The liquid burned his throat and felt like a trail of fire running down into his belly. The shock started another fit of coughing and gagging for Matt and another round laughs for Luke.

"Havin' some troubles there partner?" Luke asked, still laughing.

Wheezing Matt said, "Wow, that was somethin'!"

Later that night, both boys had smoked all the tobacco and were laughing their way through the bottle of rye. Leaning back against the tree, Matt said to Luke, "I've never felt this way before Luke."

"How da ya feel Matt?" Luke questioned drunkenly.

"I'm not sure!" Matt said and began laughing again.

They laid against the tree and took a few more pulls on the bottle before Luke drunkenly pushing himself up said, "Come on Matt, lets go find some gals."

Matt pushed himself up too, only to fall back down again. "Luke! Luke!" he called out, his voice slurring.

Luke who was about one hundred feet away stopped and turned around. "What? Jeez, Matt get up, where goin to go find some gals! We can't do that with you lyin' around here."

"Wal, I can't get up Luke!" Matt slurred.

Luke stomped back down the small incline and helped Matt up, then together they tried to go back up, after two tries they made it and headed back into town.

On the way there, Luke told Matt, "We have to be careful Matt, watch out for the law."

When they made it back into the main part of the town, Luke lead Matt down to the back steps of a saloon, then leaving Matt there, slowly crept up them. He knocked on the door and a few seconds later two girls answered the door, a red head and brunette. The brunette giggled when she saw Luke and said "Hiya sweetie. Whatcha doin' here?"

Luke puffed himself up and did his best to deepen his voice, which wasn't much due to the amount of alchoal he had consumed. "Wal, girls, my friend and I were wonderin if ya'd like to join us down by the river."

The girls looked down the stairs at Matt, shrugged their shoulders and came down the steps with Luke. Luke and the brunette wrapped their arms around each other and head back out towards the river, leaving the red head and Matt to follow.

Matt looked shyly at the redhead. "H-hi." He stammered.

"How old are you anyway?" the girl asked.

"Uh 14." Matt answered quickly.

"Oh, well then I guess your old enough." The girl said, she wrapped around her arm around him and they followed Luke and the brunette.

The four of them made it back down to the river and they began the process of finishing the bottle that the old drunk had brought for Luke and Matt earlier in the evening as well as drinking the two bottles that the girls had brought down with them.

It was then that the fun began and two boys had an experience that would never be far from their minds.


	8. Chapter 8

_Hello all! Due to some troublesI had to change my pen name—it is now DakotaKid, so if you are looking for me, please take note of that. Please enjoy chapter 8!_

_Adventures of a Young Matt Dillon- Chapter 8_

_Disclaimer: I don't own 'em_

By the time Matt and the red head joined Luke and Brunette at camp, the other two were already engaged in some heavy sparkin'. While Matt was curious, he wasn't sure that he was so curious that he wanted to do the things his friend was doing. He knew that he was drunk but he wasn't that drunk. So taking the red head by the hand he lead her over to a log and they sat down.

"So what's yer, uh, name?" He asked.

The red head looked down at him, "My names Ginger. What's yours?"

"Matthew, uh, Matt Dillon, ma'am." Matt stammered.

"Matthew." The girls said, pulling some tobacco and papers out of the bossom of her dress. "I always liked that name, I don't know why but I always did."

"Oh." Matt said, watching fascinated as Ginger expertly rolled a cigarette and returned the papers and tobacco to their resting place.

"Matt, why did you ask me out here?" Ginger asked. She could tell that this boy was not ready to take on a man's activities.

"Wal, cause my friend Luke and I, we wanted some gals to go with our whiskey." Matt said, nervously casting a look at his friend who was busy with the brunette.

Ginger smiled, "Matt, sweetie" she said, "I'm going to go back to town and you are going to go lay down over there and go to sleep. Your first time shouldn't be with a common saloon girl like me. Let your first time be on a picnic with a girl you think you love, not because you think you need to prove something to your friend."

Matt turned 100 shades of red and looked down at the ground, scratching the toe of his shoe into the dirt. He didn't say anything either, just continued to look down.

Ginger smiled again. "That's a boy." Then she stood and walked back towards town, leaving Matt alone while Luke and brunette continued what they were doing. After she was out of sight, Matt picked up the half empty bottle that was lying near the fire. He pulled the cork and took the first of many long pulls.

Matt awoke the next morning and groaned. His head felt like a thousand horses hoof beats were pounding through it. Slowly, he raised his head and looked over at Luke who was sleeping with his head on his coat, a blanket thrown over his shoulders. He took in the empty bottles and then looked around for the brunette that he was sure had been there with Luke.

Pushing himself into a sitting position he shook his head and then regretted the decision as pain crashed in on his already aching head. He was never going to let Luke talk him into doing anything so stupid again, ever. He moved his head slightly again and feeling that he could somewhat move he began to crawl towards the creek. He felt like his mouth was stuffed with cotton and that his tongue was plastered to the roof of his mouth and he desperately needed a drink of the cool water.

Reaching the creek, Matt took about three big drinks of water before he felt the those three drinks coming back up and it was his retching that brought Luke about. Lying in his spot on the ground, Luke hollerd up at Matt. "You ok over there?"

Finished with his retching, Matt croaked out a yes and then washed his face with cool water and then laid down by the creek, his face pressed against the cool, moist earth and fell asleep.

When he awoke again, Luke was standing over him, smiling his Cheshire cat grin and munching on a handful of berries. "Wal, it's about time ya come back to the land of the livin!" he said loudly.

Matt put a hand on his hurting head again, "Can ya keep it down a little?" he asked his friend. Then he looked up and taking notice of the position of the sun, swore softly under his breath. He had promised that lady in town that he would come and carry her bags for her and here he was sleepin' like an old hound dog.

"Wal, what ya cussin about?" Luke asked, before throwing the rest of his breakfast into his mouth.

"I promised that nice lady that I would carry her bags to the train this afternoon." Matt said.

"What time?"

"One o'clock." Matt said, pushing himself, ignoring the pain that pounded in his head.

"She the gal that gave ya such a good tip yesterday?" Luke asked, picking up his blanket and Matt's.

"Yeah." Matt said.

Hannah Wilson looked at the clock on the wall, five minutes to one. She thought that her young bag carrier would have been knocking on her door but now she wasn't so sure that he was going to show up. She hoped that he did, she wanted to see him again, there was just something about him, something that called to her and something that deeply reminded her of her now dead lover.

"Hannah, darling, fidgeting isn't going to make that street urchin show up any sooner." Jesse said sourly. He didn't understand why his wife was insisting on waiting for that boy when there were any number of fine staff in the hotel lobby waiting to do such a menial task. He knew that his wife longed to have children but why she was attatching her self to a street bum was beyond his imagination.

Matt and Luke ran back into town and went straight to the hotel. Matt, allowing his long legs to eat up ground and then stairs to reach Mrs. Wilson's room. Once there, breathing hard, he knocked on the door and was greeted by a sour looking man. "Yes?"

"I'm" deep breath "I'm here for Mrs. Wilson's bags sir." Matt said.

"Well it's about time. I hope you know young man that your tardiness could very well mean that Mrs. Wilson and I are late for our train." Jesse said, scolding Matt before handing him the bags.

Matt hung his head a little and then hefting the bags into his arms stepped back and waited for Mr. and Mrs. Wilson to descend the stairs ahead of him. Then he hurriedly followed them to the depot, depositing their bags at the baggage car. Figuring that he wouldn't receive a tip at the way Mr. Wilson had spoken to him, he was about to move off to find Luke when Mrs. Wilson appeared before him.

"Matthew, please don't leave. My husband, he gets frustrated easily and he doesn't like to be late. I want to thank you for coming and bringing our luggage down for us, we really do appreciate it." Hannah said before she took his hand in hers and deposited a twenty dollar gold piece into it.

Matt looked down at it and then back into the face of the woman that he would never know was his mother, "Ma'am I can't accept this. It's to much and I was late."

Hannah reached down and closed the Matt's fingers over his palm, "I want you to accept it Matthew, use this to get your start in life." She said softly.

"Yes ma'am. Thank you ma'am." Matt said.

Matt stood rooted in his place watching as Mr. and Mrs. Wilson boarded the train and probably would have stayed there if it hadn't been for Luke coming up and patting him on the shoulder. "You okay?"

Matt only nodded, lost in his own thoughts, gripping a twenty dollar gold piece.


	9. Chapter 9

_Ok-I tried and tried to find out where Matt worked with Kimboro (did I spell that right?) anyway, so I put them in Yuma. So now we get to see what kind of man our little marshal has grown up to be. Enjoy and thank you for the reviews!_

AYMD 9

_4 years later...Yuma, Arizona_

Seventeen year old Matt Dillon was standing in front of the Marshals office. He had been watching the man for several days now and had decided that he wanted to work for him, stepping up to the door Matt opened and came face to face with Max Kimboro. Straightening to his full height Matt said, "Marshal Kimboro I'm here for a job."

Kimboro looked over the youth, tall, gangly, with a shock of somewhat curly hair that looked as if it needed a trim. "What's yer name?"

"Dillon, Matt Dillon."

"Dillon huh. How old are ya?"

"Eighteen."

Kimboro looked him over some more, scrutinizing the young man that stood before him. "Where ya from Dillon?" he asked, still looking the young man over. He couldn't be eighteen, it looked as if he barely had begun to shave, but with he was tall, maybe he was just a baby face.

"Here and there." was Matt's response, the past four years he had been a hell raiser, riding the trails, working as a cowboy with Luke. He hadn't seen Luke for almost two years now though and slowly he had drifted from Texas into Arizona, where he was at now. Yuma was a wild cow town and while that was nothing new to young Matt. He had seen several wild cow towns, raised hell and left broken hearts as well. Now he was standing before a legend, Max Kimboro had been brought into Yuma to settle it down, make it respectable for decent folks like farmers and bankers. Standing there being scrutinizied by Kimboro made Matt want to fidget but he stayed still until the man spoke again.

"Well Dillon, I'm going to tell you something. This is no life for a man with a family, do you have one of those?"

"No. I never knew my parents."

"I'll give ya ten dollars a month and all the beans ya can eat, but son, I don't look for you to last a week." Kimboro said, his voice hard.

"Yes sir." Matt said, thrusting his hand forward.

Kimboro took it and solemnly shook it before saying, "You can throw your warsack on that bunk over yonder if you'd like.

"Yes sir!" Matt said. He hadn't felt so happy in a long time, the last time had probably been about four years ago as he stood outside the train depot clutching a twenty dollar gold piece in his hand. He wished he still had it but it had been turned used for supplies as he and Luke had set out again. That fall they had been hired as remuda wranglers for a large outifit down along the Mexican border. They had both stayed with that job up until two years ago when he and Luke had parted company. He wasn't sure where Luke was at now, probably a farmer or somethin', since when he and Matt had split up Luke had been in love and plannin' to marry some saloon girl. The thought made Matt smile now but at the time he had been angry with his friend, angry that he was choosing love over their hell raising, carousing ways.

So for the past two years he had drifted, working in this cow camp and that until a girl had caught his eye. Her last name had been winters and she had been the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. Matt had been happy with her for a while, until she started talking marriage and settling down, then he had put the brakes on the relationship. He had been working as a deputy for the local sheriff and enjoying working with the law then. That had been three months ago and now he was here, in Yuma, about to become a deputy for the great Kimboro.


	10. Chapter 10

AYMD Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I don't own 'em, they ain't mine, but I sure like to borrow 'em from time to time.

A week later Matt Dillon was involved in his first skermish as a law man. Marshal Kimboro was out of town leaving things in Matt's hands. Matt knew from the start that it was probably Kimboro's way of testing him, just to see if he really had what he needed to pin that shiny star on his chest.

The fight was in the Harney Saloon, and after being summonded by one of the girls that worked there, Matt, being young and eager rushed over. He moved into the brawl and began throwing his own punches trying to take out the brawlers. While he was a tall, he was still enough of a youth that he had not filled out in his arms and shoulders the way some of the older men had and he definitely took his hits and quickly broke things up. After taking the brawlers that could still stand over to the jail to sleep off their drunk, Matt returned to the Harney to check on a man who had been injured. However, when he returned the man was gone so Matt walked up to the bar, he needed to talk to the bar keeper so he could file a report with the Marshal when he returned.

"Oh, hello deputy, quite a scrap in here tonight huh?" Glenn asked the tall young man who was now standing before him.

"Yeah." Matt said, looking around the room, always surveying his surroundings. "What happened to the man that was injured in the fight?"

The voice that answered him was not Glenn's. "A couple of cowboys hauled him out of here, they were going to haul him up to the doc's and get him looked at."

Matt turned and looked into the face of a blonde beauty with deep, dark eyes. He couldn't think of anything to say so he just remained quite.

The girl smiled and stared up at him for a moment before saying, "Well aren't you going to introduce yourself?"

Matt looked down for a moment, before looking her back in the eye again. "The name's Dillon. Matt Dillon."

"Well it's nice to meet you," the girl said, then looking at his badge continued, "Deputy Dillon."

"Nice to meet you as well, Miss…" Matt said, pausing, realizing that he didn't know the girls name.

"Cara." The girl said.

"Miss Cara." Matt finished his statement. "So can you tell me anything about what went on in here tonight? I have to file a report for the Marshal." Trying to keep his mind on business and not on the girl that was standing before him.

"Oh you know the boys." Cara said, moving her had toward the cowboys still seated in the bar room. "They were just having a little fun and it got out of hand."

Matt nodded, mentally taking down the details.

"It all started when Willie and Jimmy decided that they would try to have a boxing match and well I guess the rest is history I guess. The boxing match kind of turned into a brawl when a couple of them started taking bets and then they started accusing the others of cheating and well then they all decided to have a little boxing match of their own." Cara said, then looking down at one of Matt's hands, she said. "My it looks like you got scuffed up yourself deputy."

Matt looked down at his own bruised knuckles and pushed her concern aside. "It's nothing, part of the job I guess."

"You don't have to be brave for me, Deputy." Cara said, moving closer to Matt.

"I'm not being brave for you Miss." Matt said, taking a step back. Then he thanked her for the information and began to move away before she called out.

"Next time your in here, I'd like to have a drink with you!"

Matt stopped for a moment and pretended to think on it for a moment. "I guess." Then he walked back to the office and wrote down the details of the brawl at the Harney for Kimboro before he set off to make his nightly rounds.


	11. Chapter 11

Adventures of a Young Matt Dillon

Chapter 11

Disclaimer: See chapter 10, that one is better.

_Six Months Later….._

Matt Dillon was preparing to leave. Thanks to a glowing recommendation from Max Kimboro he had just received a job with the War Department and he was setting out to begin his new career as a United States Marshal in Dodge City, Kansas.

Cara stood by watching Matt as he packed his second horse and prepared for his trip north. "Are you sure you don't want me to go with you Matt?" she asked, feeling tears sting her eyes. It had taken her a while but she had eventually gotten the young deputy to pay attention to her and now he was leaving without her when she had hoped that Matt would take her with him and that they would get married but it wasn't looking like _that_ was going to happen.

Matt nodded his head, "No Cara. I already told you that things between us are over. I'm moving on, besides I'll never be able to give you what you want." He slapped his saddle bag closed.

Cara let the tears come then, thinking that most men were suckers for tears and drama. "Why Matt? Why?"

"Cara, I'm destined for the life of a law man and that leaves no room for marriage or a family." Matt said, a little angry that she was trying to manipulate him.

"FINE!!" Cara screamed at him. "I hope you die a lonely old man Matt Dillon!" Then she ran down the street back.

Kimboro came out of the jail at that moment. "You did the right thing son." He said quietly, laying a fatherly hand on Matt's shoulder.

Matt looked at him and then the empty street where Cara had just departed. "Did I?"

Max nodded. "Yes Matt, you did. Cara, Cara was no good Matt."

Matt nodded but said no more, he just continued to gather all his worldly possessions, which were few, and put them onto his pack horse and into his saddle bags. When he was finished he turned to the man that had been like a father to him and his mentor. "Well Max, thanks for everything. I'll wire you when I get to Dodge." Then he extended his hand.

Kimboro took the hand of the tall lanky youth and found himself a little jeleous of the younger man. He was about to set off, see the world and make a name for himself and he was going to be here, alone again. Sure he had told Matt that it was best for lawmen to have no attatchments but he wondered in that moment if his advice had been so good. "You take care of yourself Matt."

Matt nodded, feeling a lump in his throat, he swallowed it down before he spoke. "You too, Max."

The two men shook hands and Matt mounted his horse. "Thanks for everything Max."

"No, thank you Matt. Take care of yourself now, you hear." Max said.

"I will Max. I will. You don't have to worry about me." Matt said as he swung his horse around and headed north. Then to himself he said, "Dodge City, here I come."

He had heard a lot of things about Dodge City, how untamed it was, how they had gone through six marshals in the past three years and the little town was nothing more than an untamed, wild child of the plains. He had heard once that during the cattle season that the streets ran red with blood and whiskey and that law and order were something that didn't exsist in Dodge. He hoped that what he heard was mostly rumor but if it was true he felt he was up to and ready for the challenge of taming the wild child of the west.


	12. Chapter 12

Adventures of a Young Matt Dillon

Chapter 12

Disclaimer: See chapter one.

It took Matt four weeks of long days on the trail but he was here, Dodge City. Riding through the streets of the town he noticed that the few people that were out on the streets paid little mind to him as he made his way to the jail house. Once there he pulled up his mount and stepped down, grateful to be out of the saddle, and tied his horses to the hitching rail. Then straightening his shoulders a little he stepped through the door of the jail house to find a man leaned back in the chair, his legs propped up on the desk and a newspaper covering his face, sound asleep. "Excuse me." he said. When he didn't get a response Matt said a little louder, "Excuse me."

The man under the newspaper jerked awake and looked about almost blindly before rubbing his eyes and saying, "Oh, oh, can I help you?"

"Yes, my name's Matt Dillon and I'm the new marshal here." Matt said, watching as the young man in the chair, stood somewhat awkwardly on a stiff kneed leg.

"Yes sir. We heard that you were comin'. My name's Chester, Chester Goode." Chester extended his hand.

Matt took the other man's hand and shook it. "It's nice to meet you Chester. Ah, if you don't mind me askin', are you the deputy here or somethin'?"

Chester smiled, "Oh no Mister Dillon, no, I was just the other marshall's assitant and well when he got shot I-I just sorta stayed on. I've been keepin' the place cleaned up and ready for the new marshal to arrive."

"I see." Matt said, hooking his thumbs behind the buckle of his gunbelt. "Well would you like to stay on and work for me?"

Chester looked thoughtful for a moment before saying, "I guess. You don't mind if I keep livin' here do ya?"

Matt who had been looking around the jail, turned back to Chester, "No I don't mind Chester, I guess as long as you don't mind sharin' quarters with me."

"Oh, you won't be takin' a room at the Dodge House? That's where Mister Tanner always stayed."

"He was the previous marshall huh?" Matt asked.

"Yes sir, he lasted us a whole four months before he was shot down right there on Front Street." Chester told Matt. "Jist so ya know Mister Dillon, Dodge ain't to kind to law men.

"Well Chester, I don't want to sound arrogant, but I plan on lasting more than four months." Matt said with a grin.

"I sure hope so, Mister Dillon. I sure hope so."

A couple of hours later Matt had unloaded both of his horses and taken the animals down to the livery where he met Moss Grimrick, the stable owner.

"Well I sure am glad that we have a Marshal here again." Moss said, pulling the straw from between his teeth. "Maybe this town will start to grow and calm down a little bit."

"Well I'm glad to be here Mister Grimrick." Matt said.

His next stop was the telegraph office where he sent two messages, one to Kimboro in Yuma, to let him know that he had arrived and the other to the War Department to ensure them that he had arrived at his post. Then he headed back to the office to find his new assistant and friend to see if there was any place that was suitable to eat in Dodge. After four weeks on the trail Matt was hungry for something other than rabbits, prairie chickens and son-of-a-gun stew. Walking into his new office he found Chester at the stove making coffee. "Oh hello Mister Dillon, if you wait just a few minutes I'll have a new pot of coffee boiled up for you."

"Just leave it off the stove Chester. Is there any place decent to eat in this town?" Matt asked, feeling his stomach rumble.

"Well there's Delmonico's." Chester said. "That usually where Doc and I eat."

"How about we head on over there then." Matt said, picking up his hat and opening the door.

Chester followed suit and Matt soon found himself in a small cafe that smelled of pork grease and strong coffee. Deciding that it would do, Matt found a table and pulled out a chair and Chester followed suit. When the waiter arrived, Chester called him by name and then introduced Matt. "Jess this here is the new marshall."

"Oh, the new marshal, we was wonderin' when you'd be arrivin. Name is Jess Harper." Jess extended his hand to the tall young man seated before him.

Matt stood to his full six foot seven height and took the other man's hand. "Nice to meet you Jess. Names, Dillon, Matt Dillon."

After Matt and Chester had supper in Delmonico's it didn't take long for word to spread that the new marshal was in town and it seemed to Matt that everyone either stopped by the office or walked by to get a look at him, making him feel like a prize bull at the fair.

The next morning, Matt woke early and went to take a look around the town while it was still asleep. When he went out the only other person on the streets was the milk man with his cart. Matt took in the weather beaten buildings, dusty streets and decided that for a new home and a place to start a new career Dodge would do. When he arrived back at his office, Chester was awake and making coffee and Matt felt his stomach turn at what he saw the other man doing. He wasn't dumping out the old grounds, rather just adding a few new ones along with some egg shells and chicory. Turning himself away a little, he greeted Chester. "Mornin'."

"Oh morning Mister Dillon. I'll have ya a good cup a coffee boiled up in a minute."

Not wanting to be rude, Matt said, "Oh, thanks Chester." Before he took a seat at what would be his desk and began to go through the pile of mail there. Lost in his own thoughts and the mail Matt didn't hear Chester start talking again until the other man was at his elbow. "Oh, I'm sorry Chester what was that?"

Chester backed off a bit and said, "I brought ya yer coffee Mister Dillon and then I was sayin' that I usually have breakfast with ole Doc."

"Doc?" Matt asked, his mind instantly bringing up an image of Doc Holliday.

"Yeah, Doc Adams. He and I have breakfast together most every morning."

Just then as if on cue, the office door opened and man in a black suit with a misshapen black hat shuffled through the door. "Morning Chester." He greeted before he saw Matt sitting in the desk chair. "Oh, oh, sorry there young man, I guess I didn't see you. I'm Doctor Galen Adams and you must be our new marshal." He extended his hand towards Matt.

Matt stood and extended his hand as well. "My names Matt Dillon. It's nice to meet you Doctor Adams."

The two men shook hands and Doc said, "Call me Doc, Marshall."

Matt grinned. "Call me Matt, Doc."

Over breakfast Matt learned more about Dodge from the physician's standpoint, which were it was always hot, it was always dry and the best place to go get a beer was the Long Branch. It was then that Chester pointed out to Matt again that the prettiest girls also worked at the Long Branch. He learned that Doc was an avid checker player and that all the stories he had heard about Dodge weren't true.

Until that night however, when Dodge seemed to wake up, then Matt was kept busy running from saloon to saloon breaking up brawls and taking weapons away from drunken cowboys. Luckily for Matt he didn't have to shoot anyone but he did have to take quite a few to jail that night and bust a few heads. The last confrontation pitted Matt against a ox of a man, rightly named Bull Olson. Bull had big meaty arms and fist like sledge hammers and the fight between the two men was one that was talked about for months to come, but it also helped Matt gain the reputation that he needed to gain control over Dodge. The fight also resulted in Matt getting to take his first visit to Doc's office for six stitches to a gash under his chin and to have his bloody nose and lip cleaned up..

Tipping Matt's head up so that he could get a better look at the bloody gash, Doc whistled. "That looks like he made your chin explode Matt. What'd he hit you with anyway, a chair leg or something?"

"His fist."

"His fist!" Doc said in disbelief. "Well let's get it cleaned up and put some stitches in it." He said, grabbing the alchoal and a cotton swab. "Now this will sting just a little."

When the first dab hit the bleeding wound Matt did all he could to keep from yelping in pain and then jumping off Doc's table and running out the door. However he couldn't help his sharp intake of breath and slight jump.

"Hurt a little does it?" Doc asked.

"Just a little Doc."

"Well, I haven't even got to the stitching yet." Doc said, putting down the cotton swab and picking up his needle and thread. Threading the needle, he again raised Matt's chin and made the first stab.

That time Matt did allow himself to yelp in pain. "Ouch! Jesus Doc, isn't their something you can do to not make that hurt so much?"

"Well I could put you out but I only need to put a few stitches in it and it'll be all done." Doc said.

Gritting his teeth, Matt said, "Fine. Just get it over with Doc."


	13. Chapter 13

Adventures of a Young Matt Dillon

Chapter 13

Disclaimer: See a previous chapter.

Matt left Doc's office a short while later sporting seven stitches and a thick white bandage under his chin. He had told Doc that he didn't really need the bandage and he thought it looked ridiculous but the good Doctor had insisted upon it and wouldn't take no for an answer. Walking down Front Street, Matt gingerly pulled the bandage off and threw it into a trash barrel before continuing on his way. Then he began to check doors, a habit that he had picked up in Yuma from Kimboro. Walking along, he shook each door knob and ensured that it was locked tight before moving on to the next one. When he reached the double doors of the Long Branch he found that they were unlocked. Opening them, he stepped in to find the bar keep still there.

"Oh I'm sorry mister but we're closed for the evening." the bar keep and owner, Bill Pence said.

"No, no, I'm not looking for a drink. I'm just checking the doors around town." Matt said.

Bill stepped around the bar and looked at the young man standing in the door way. "Say your the new marshal aren't you?"

Matt extended his hand. "Yeah. I'm Matt Dillon."

Pence moved forward and took the extended hand in his own. "Bill Pence. I own this place."

"Oh. Well it's real nice to meet you Mister Pence. I'm told by the doctor that this is the best place in town to get a drink." Matt said, giving the other man a broad smile.

"Well I guess Doc would know.." Bill said with a laugh. "How about a drink on the house since you're here?"

Matt shook his head, "No, I best get on with my rounds. Thank you for the offer though."

"Oh the offer still stands Marshal, stop in tommorrow and I'll set you up."

"Thanks, I'll do that." Matt said, stepping out the door and back into the street. He finished his rounds and then made his way back to the office where he found Chester already snoring down the walls. Matt shut the door quietly behind him and removed his hat before moving across the room and taking off his gunbelt and flopping down on his cot. With Chester's snoring it was going to be a long night.

The next morning Matt woke early and looked over at his still soundly sleeping employee before pushing himself up. How the man could sleep through all that noise Matt didn't know. Standing and stretching his tall, lanky frame Matt went to the mirror and looked at himself. His chin was surely bruised but Matt wasn't sure if it was from Bull's fist or Doc's stitching. Deciding that there was no way that he could shave, Matt ran a hand over his stubbled cheek and sighed. He's just have to wear whiskers for a few days he supposed though he wouldn't like it. Deciding that he couldn't take any more of Chester's snoring, Matt picked up his gun and hat and wandered down to the stable to check on his mounts as was his daily routine as well. When he arrived, Moss Grimrick was just feeding the animals. "Morning Moss." Matt greeted as he ran his hand over the back of the bay that he had used as a pack horse on his trip to Dodge before he moved over to the big buckskin that he typically rode.

"Morning Marshal. Heard you took down Bull Olson last night, huh?"

Touching his still throbbing chin Matt grimaced at the memory of the fight. "Yeah, I guess so."

"Looks like he got at least one good shot in though huh?" Moss commented with a slight laugh.

Matt tried to grin but it turned into more of a grimace when he replied, "Yeah."

After his visit with Moss Matt decided to head back to the jail, hoping that Chester would be awake by then and that they could go and get some breakfast. He was just about to walk into the office when Doc Adams came strolling along. "Oh Matt." the other man called out. "Matt!"

Matt stopped and turned,hooking his thumbs behind his belt buckle. "Morning Doc. What's got you out so bright and early?"

"I'm always out this early I'll have you know." Doc said. "I just want to take a look at that bandage and those stitiches." He said, coming up all the way and looking at Matt's chin. "Hump, I see you already ripped off the bandage."

"Well I wasn't going to wander around town with that gol-darn bandage on my chin Doc. It's looked ridiculous!" Matt returned to him.

"Well it's off now. Let's go in and I'll take a look at those stitches and then we'll go to breakfast." Doc said.

Matt opened the office door only to still hear the sounds of Chester's snores. Noting being able to take it anymore, Matt went over to the cot where Chester lay soundly sleeping. "Chester!" he shouted. "Chester! Wake up!"

"Huh? Huh?" Chester asked, sitting up, blinking his eyes and looking like a hoot owl. "Oh, Mister Dillon, its you."

"Yeah. Chester, Doc's going to look at my stitches and then we're going to go and get some breakfast, are you going to come along?"

Chester never one to miss out on a meal, jumped right up and grabbed his pants. "Yes sir, Mister Dillon. Just let me get dressed."

"You don't have to get in to big a rush Chester, Doc here still thinks he needs to torture me some more." Matt said good naturedly poking at the Doctor.

"Torture!" Doc yelped. "Why, I should have just let you run around with your chin split wide open!" Then he turned on his heel and went out the door before turning around and coming back in. "I'll be waiting at Delmonico's."

Chester was still getting dressed but he grinned at Matt, "Boy he sure does have a temper sometimes doesn't he, Mister Dillon?"

Matt laughed, "Yeah I guess he does."

Chester joined in and the two laughed the whole way out the door. They were half way to Delmonico's when the morning stage, early for once, came rolling into town. "Oh! Oh! Mister Dillon, can we go and watch everyone get off the stage?" Chester asked, sounding more like a small child than a twenty some year old man.

Matt smiled, "What about breakfast with Doc?"

"Oh he'll wait. He always does. Come on lets go see who's on the stage this morning." Chester said.

Chester's exuberance to go and see who was on the stage won Matt over and he followed along, telling himself that he was going just to see who was coming and going from town in the capacity of the law and nothing else. However, that attitude changed as soon as he got over there. For just as he stepped around the back of the coach there was a swish of green skirts and the most beautiful woman he had ever seen stepped out. Matt watched as the red head gathered her bags and thanked the driver.

Kitty Russell had been on that god awful stage coach for far too long, so when the driver had called out that the next stop was Dodge City, she had decided that Dodge would do, for now. However, when she had stepped out of the stage she decided that maybe it hadn't been such a bad decision, especially when she'd made eye contact with the tall, blue eyed stranger that had been there with another man watching people get off the stage. She smiled at him and then continued her way down the street, her first stop was to find something suitable to eat and then she would begin looking for a job.

Matt smiled back when the girl in the green dress smiled at him and then allowed his eyes to follow her as she continued to make her way down the street. In fact he was so caught up in watching her that he didn't even notice that Chester was talking to him. "Huh?"

"I said, we can go eat now Mister Dillon." Chester said giving a little huff. "What in the world were you looking at anyway, Mister Dillon?"

"Nothing Chester."

"That sure was a pretty gal that got off that stage wasn't it?"

"Oh yeah Chester. She was really pretty." Matt replied as they walked towards Delmonico's.

"I wonder who she is. I've never seen her around Dodge before." Chester commented.

"Probably somebody's mail-order bride." Matt said with a small laugh while deep down inside he hoped that she wasn't.

They reached Delmonico's and were headed towards the table where Doc was waiting for them when Matt saw her again, sitting alone a cup of coffee in front of her. Matt took his chair and Doc gave him a funny look. "What in world are you lookin' at Matt?"

"I bet he's lookin' at that pretty gal that just got of the stage. She's sittin' right over there." Chester said, pointing with his chin.

Doc turned and looked at where Chester was pointing and grinned at Matt. "I don't know Matt. I think that one's a might too pretty for someone with a busted up mug like yours."

Matt didn't say anything keeping his eyes on his coffee. All he needed was for the woman to see all three of them staring at her.

Kitty felt the eyes on her but when she looked up she only saw three men at a table, all looking very innocent. She recognized two of them as the ones that were standing at the depot when she got off and again she wondered who they were. However she didn't get to wonder for long as the waiter brought her bowl of oatmeal with rasins, the last thing she could afford until she found stable work. Sure she looked like she had money but at the current moment Kitty Russell only had a whole one dollar and fifty cents to her name and she would be spending the fifty cents shortly to pay for this meal, making it all the more pertinet that she find employment as soon as she finished there.

Matt, Doc and Chester however all enjoyed a large breakfast that morning having ham, eggs, biscuits and gravy. Finished with their meal, Chester sat back in his chair and tucked his thumbs underneath his suspenders. "My that was a fine breakfast. One of the best I've ever had."

"Oh you say that every morning Chester!" Doc grumbled. "Who's paying this morning?" his gaze falling right on Chester.

Chester then looked at Matt helplessly. "Fine." Matt said, pulling some coins out of his vest pocket. "I'll buy this morning."

"Thank you Matt." Doc said, standing and gathering his hat. "Well I'll see you two later, don't get shot, while I'm gone."

"Where ya goin' today Doc?" Chester asked, standing as well.

"Out to the Reed's, seems their kids are all sick with the croup." Doc replied with a shake of his head.

"Ya don't say." Chester said following Doc out the door.

Matt watched his friends leave and then waited until their waiter, Jeb came by the table. "What do I owe ya this morning?"

"Oh I'd say three dollars will cover it Marshal." Jeb replied.

"Alright and say add the lady over there's meal to mine as well." Matt said, pulling out the correct amount of money.

"Oh well then you'll need to add another fifty cents to that Marshal." Jeb replied.

"Alright." Matt said, giving Jeb another fifty cents. Then he turned and strode out the door and down the street.

Kitty finished her meal soon afterwards and when she went to pay for it the waiter told her, "Oh your's has already been taken care of Miss."

Kitty gave a look of surprise. "Oh! May I ask who paid for it?"

"Yes ma'am. The Marshal, uh, Marshal Dillon paid for it ma'am."

"Oh." Kitty said. She'd have to thank him if she ever had the opportunity to meet him and she was sure that in her line of business that time would arrive sooner or later. She hoped.

A few days later Matt finally got time to go into the Long Branch to take Bill Pence up on his offer of a free drink. He sauntered in and took up his usual position at the end of the bar. Pushing back his hat he leaned down on his elbows and greeted Bill Pence. "Hello Pence."

"Matt. Finally got around to comin in for that free drink huh?"

"Yeah." Matt said with a grin. "How 'bout you give me a beer."

"Comin' right up Matt." Bill said, taking a mug and drawing the beer from the tap with long practiced ease.

Kitty was just coming down the stairs with one of the other girls when Matt walked in. "Oh!" the other girl squeeled in delight. "There's Marshal Dillon. Isn't he handsome?" Kitty looked over the man in question and agreed.

"Why don't you go talk to him Kitty?" the other girl, Sally said to her.

Kitty gave Sally an odd look. "Don't you want to talk to him?"

"I would but my fella Jake is sittin' over their in the corner so you go right ahead." Sally said, sashaying off to go sit with Jake.

Feeling a little silly, she had never really gotten comfortable with the whole saloon girl act, Kitty siddled up the bar next to Matt. "Buy me a drink cowboy?" she asked.

Matt nodded.

"Want to sit down?"

Matt nodded again and then followed Kitty to a table. He pulled a chair out for her and then returned to the bar to get two more beers. When he returned to the table he sat one beer in front of Kitty and then sat down with his own.

"Thank you." Kitty said, flashing a smile.

"Your welcome." Matt said.

"Oh so you do know how to talk?" Kitty said with a small laugh. "I was beginning to wonder."

"I know how to talk." Matt said. Then felt like an idiot for saying something so stupid.

"So you got a name cowboy?" Kitty asked.

"Matt Dillon."

"Matt…that's a nice name. Mine's Kathleen but everyone calls me Kitty." Kitty said, taking a sip of her beer. Then realizing that she hadn't yet thanked Matt for buying her breakfast her first morning in Dodge she quickly said, "I almost forgot, thank you for paying for my breakfast the other morning, that was real nice of you."

Matt shrugged. "I was happy to do it."

They made small talk for a few more minutes before someone called Kitty's name. "I have to go Matt but it sure was nice talking to you."

"Yeah. Can I see you again Kitty?" Matt asked. "Maybe buy you breakfast or something tomorrow."

Kitty smiled at him. "You make that lunch and it's a date."


	14. Chapter 14

_So I got inspired again to write some more of this. Somday, I promise, it will be finished. Promise._

Disclaimer: I don't own 'em.

Later that night after the saloon had been closed for the night, Kitty was in her room preparing for bed. She heard a knock on her door and when she answered it she found Sally on the other side. "Jake's sleepin' so I thought I would come and see what you thought of Matt."

"M-Matt?" Kitty said, sounding somewhat confused, when really it was just hearing his name that caused the unsteadiness in her voice.

"Yeah, Matt, the Marshal, big tall fellow, hard to miss?" Sally asked, excitment shining in her eyes.

"Oh, yes, Matt." Kitty said, willing her racing heart to slow down. She couldn't believe that just hearing the man's name was having that kind of effect on her.

"So what did you think of him?" Sally asked again.

"He's very nice."

"Nice? That's the only word you can come up with? Honey, I can do better than that!" Sally said, giving a throaty laugh.

"Ok," Kitty said slowly. "He's handsome as well."

"I was thinking more along the lines of down right sexy. Why with those blue eyes and those curls, they just make a girl want to run her fingers through them."

Kitty gave Sally an odd look, "You sound like you're speaking from experience."

"No." Sally said, shaking her head almost sadly. "I wish but it seems that your the first woman since he's landed in Dodge that's turned his head."

This perked Kitty up a little so she decided to pose another question, "I can't imagine that a man would go that long without, _that."_

Sally shook her head again. "I don't know honey but I would say that you are pretty lucky."

"Yeah." Kitty said. She watched Sally go back down the hall and then shut the door to her room.

Two weeks later a simple lunch had led the two young people to enjoying each other's company on a regular basis and they used the time to get to know each other better. Matt had to admit he had been very impressed when Kitty proclaimed to him one night over a night cap that she enjoyed fishing and that she was very good at it too. Matt had been skeptical, figuring that when he took her out that he would have to bait her hook and cast her line but so far, that hadn't been the case, she hadn't even looked squimish as she drove a hook through a worm.

Throwing her line into the water, Kitty caught Matt again giving her an odd look. "What's the mater Marshal, didn't you think that I could really fish?"

Matt hesitated for a moment, not sure that he should answer her question. Deciding to stay safe he instead said, "I knew you wouldn't lie to me Kitty."

Kitty smiled at him. "Then what's the funny look for?"

Matt shook his head. "Nothing."

Kitty sat back down next to him and pushed him in the shoulder. "Come on, you can tell me."

"It's nothin' Kitty." Matt said again, leaning against the tree.

"Oh come on Matt." Kitty said, seating herself beside Matt, pushing on him a little. "Tell me what's on your mind."

However, Matt was saved from answering her question as the end of his pole began to bend towards the water. Standing quickly Matt reached out and pulled the line in to find an impressive sized catfish. Kitty looked at the fish and then up at Matt, "That's some fish you got there Matt."

"Yeah. I guess that one makes up for the five that you've caught." Matt said.

Kitty laughed again. "You sound like your jealous Matt."

Matt smiled at her, he was jealous alright, but it wasn't over the fact that she was out fishing him five to one. He was jealous of all the men that had Kitty's attention each night in the Long Branch, jealous of all the men that came in and had drinks with her. Yeah he was jealous alright. "Naw, I ain't jealous Kitty but you know if you catch 'em you clean 'em."

Kitty smiled at him, hearing the challenge in his voice she said, "That sounds like a challenge Marshal."

Matt shrugged. "Nope just a fact."

Matt returned Kitty back to the Long Branch after they had caught and eaten their fill of fried catfish, then deciding that he needed to be alone for a while he took a short ride out onto the prairie. He always loved going out there, where the only other sign of life that may be seen was a jackrabbit or the occasional deer or antelope. He gave Buck his head and let his mind wander back to where it had earlier when he had been out with Kitty. They had known each other a while now and Matt was slowly finding himself liking her more and more each day. If he had to be totally honest with himself he liked her _a lot_ and spent more than his fair share of time thinking about her and what he wanted to do with her. Finding that an uncomfortable road to travel, Matt made himself started counting, backwards from 1,000.

When Kitty returned Sally came up to her right away. "Sooo…you and the Marshal went out of town today. Do anything interesting?" the girl who had quickly became Kitty's friend ask.

Knowing full well what Sally was asking about, Kitty shook her head. "We fished, just like we said we were going to."

"Nothing else?" Sally asked, the disappointment evident in her voice.

"Nope. We fished, we ate and he brought me back." Kitty said, watching her friends face fall.

"He hasn't even tried to kiss you yet!?" Sally wondered out loud.

Kitty shook her head no. "It's kind of nice though Sally, knowing a man that isn't constantly trying to grope you."

Sally shook her head at her friend. "I don't know Kitty. I don't think I would mind to much if that _man_ tried to grope me." Then she threw her friend a naughty smile.

Kitty laughed, knowing that Sally was just teasing. "Well then you just go and find Jake, I'm sure that he'd be happy to grope you all you want." Then she walked away and went to lean against the bar, letting her eyes stray occasionally to the door.

When Doctor Adam's came in Kitty took him a beer and then went to sit with him. He was one of the first people that she had met in Dodge and they had quickly became friends and confidants. "Hello Doc." She greeted the older man, setting the beer down in front of him.

"Kitty." Doc greeted before taking a sip of his beer. "How was the fishin'?"

"Oh it was alright. I can't complain I guess."

"Oh good, good. So where's Matt?" Doc asked.

Kitty shrugged her bare shoulders. "I don't know. He left me here when we came back and I haven't seen him since."

Matt rode back into Dodge not really feeling much better than he had when he had rode out earlier that afternoon. He took Buck to the stable and then walked back to the jail, maybe working on some paperwork would help his sort out his mind. However, his feet seemed to have a mind of their own and he suddenly found himself at the Long Branch leaning against first the end of the bar and then sitting at a table with Doc and Kitty and he stayed there until it was time for him to go and do his rounds. It was then that he pushed back his chair and looked over at Kitty who was making wet circles on the table with Doc's empty beer mug. "I better go make my rounds Kitty."

Kitty looked up at him, "Alright. When will I see you again?"

"Later Kitty. Uhm, I mean, Kitty would you be willing to meet me out by the backstairs when you get done here?"


	15. Chapter 15

AYMD

Chapter 15

Kitty had finished her work early and was sitting on the back steps waiting when Matt arrived there after finishing his rounds. "Kitty?" he called out softly.

"It's me, Matt." Kitty replied, standing so that he could maybe see a little better in what moonlight there was.

"Kitty, I-uh-I wanted to talk to you."

Kitty gave him an amused look, Matt Dillon wanted to talk? "Sure Matt, whatcha wanna talk about?"

"Let's take a walk." Matt said.

"Alright." Kitty said, slipping her hand the solid upper arm of the lawman. "Where ya thinkin' of takin' me cowboy?"

Matt looked down at her, realizing that he didn't really have a destination. "Ahm, I just thought we'd go down the boardwalk, enjoy the evening air."

"Oh….that sounds nice." Kitty said.

They walked to the end of the boardwalk in silence and then turned back towards the Long Branch. The whole time Matt had been lost in his own thoughts and fears. He had so many things that he wanted to say to Kitty but couldn't seem to put any of them into words. Smiling ruefully, he almost wished that he had Chester's ability to gab about anything, almost wished.

Kitty caught the rueful little smile as it graced Matt's lips and she said, "What's on your mind Marshal?"

"Nothing Miss Kitty."

"Sure don't look like nothin'." Kitty said.

They reached the backstairs of the Long Branch and Kitty, thinking she had an idea of what the Marshal wanted said to him. "Would you like to join me for a night cap?"

Matt swallowed hard. It was like this woman could read his mind! Nodding slowly because he didn't trust his own voice, he followed Kitty slowly up the back stairs and into the Long Branch.

Once they were in Kitty's room she turned to him and said, in a light, teasing tone, "It's alright Marshal, you can relax and be yourself now, no one's going to see."

Matt smiled at her and again screamed at himself to relax. "I'm always relaxed Kitty."

Taking out a bottle of whiskey and two glasses, Kitty shook her head. "No you aren't Marshal. You keep your self guarded; I bet you don't even fully relax when you sleep."

Matt smiled at her before mumbling to himself, "Wouldn't you like to know?"

"Sure I would…but not tonight." Kitty said, returning the smile. She liked Matt, was friends with Matt and wouldn't mind if fate allowed them to become more. Her thoughts taking over her good sense and her mouth, the next words tumbled out of her, "Matt, do you think we'll ever become more? You know, more than just good friends?"

Matt reaction to Kitty's question was brought on by pure physical need for her as he wrapped his arms around her and placed his lips on hers, letting his body talk for him.

Kitty allowed her arms to go around Matt's next, as she sighed into his mouth, letting him take control of the situation. She felt him lift her so that she was higher and closer to him. Because he was supporting her, Kitty moved her hands from the back of his neck to the back of his head, running her fingers through his hair and deepening the kiss. She was in heaven, pure heaven.

She tasked of whiskey and something that was purely woman, purely Kitty, Matt thought as he kissed her and it was _good_, oh so good. It was like riding a frisky horse, the type that you had to hold back, that pranced and danced until you could let it go on the outskirts of town when the animal seemed to explode underneath you. It was pure heaven.

Kitty moaned into Matt's mouth as she felt one of his hands roam below her waist to her buttock and then she pulled back. In a ragged whisper as she looked up into his blue, blue eyes she said, "Matt, Matt, we've got to stop." It felt good but they had to, no, needed to stop before they made a mistake, and ruined a friendship.

Matt groaned. Stopping hadn't really been in his plan but respecting her wishes, he released her and moved to sit down in a chair, feeling just a little bit hurt.

Kitty noted the dejected look on his face and moved to his side, putting a gentle hand on his face. "I liked what we were doing too, cowboy but I don't want us to do something that we'll regret."

Deciding to not let how he felt stay inside Matt said simply, "I don't think that making love to you would be something that a man would regret Kitty."

"That's nice coming from you Matt, but I want our relationship to be more."

Matt nodded, saying he understood with a gesture when really he didn't understand at all. Inside he wanted to scream out, ask Kitty what more she wanted from him.

Noting the look in his eyes, Kitty said simply. "You and me, we've been friends since I came into Dodge right?"

Again Matt nodded, keeping silent blue eyes on her.

"Well, I like that Matt. I like having a friend in you and that is something that I don't want to loose. I don't want us to do something foolish like having sex and complicate that friendship."

Seeing his chance to ever have more with Kitty, slowly slipping through his fingers Matt croaked out, "Will there ever be a chance for more?"

Kitty smiled at him, "I guess that would be up to fate cowboy."

Matt left Kitty's room shortly after that with a pain in his heart and in other parts of his anatomy as well but he thought that he knew what Kitty was talking about. Now it was just a matter of deciding what he really wanted.

Kitty watched as Matt left, looking like someone had just told him that his best friend had left without saying goodbye but Kitty had good reason for sending the handsome young lawman away. She had been hurt deeply before and she liked Matt, she really did and she didn't want to harbor the kind of grudge against him that she held against men from her past like Cole Yankton. She also wanted Matt to be sure of what he wanted because when Kitty had came to Dodge she had resolved with herself that she wouldn't sell her body any longer, that the next man that she was intimate with wouldn't be just another one night stand. And to be totally honest with herself she knew that once she was intimate with Matt Dillon, no other man would do.

Matt went back to the jail and quietly let himself in before hanging his hat on its customary peg before striding across the room to take off his gun belt. The jailhouse was quiet, not even so much as a snore from Chester, which was unusual. Flopping himself down on his bunk Matt let his mind wander over all of his old girlfriends until he came to Kitty. Granted Kitty wasn't a girlfriend but she certainly stirred more emotion in him than Cara, Lee or any of the others ever had. Then he wondered what it would be like, to have Kitty Russell for his own, to have her as his girl. Closing his eyes he told himself that he intended to find out, Matt Dillon was a man of action, and it was action that he would take.


	16. Chapter 16

_Because I like ya'll so very much…I thought I would post this before I leave to go to the ag teacher conference for the next 3 days. Enjoy! __J_

Adventures of a Young Matt Dillon

Chapter 16

Disclaimer: See a previous chapter.

Matt Dillon was a man of action but where Miss Kitty Russell was concerned he was slow in taking that action. After their somewhat steamy encounter in Kitty's room Matt gave himself and Kitty as well a few days to think and cool off. Then when he had plans to go over and talk to her he recieved a telegram saying that he was needed in Spearville.

Kitty hadn't seen Matt since the night they had kissed in her room. Going to the bar she asked Sam for a drink and then went to sit with Sally, who had quickly become a good friend, which in a situation like Kitty's, living with a bunch of girls was hard to do.

"What wrong Kitty, you look like someone just rained on your parade." Sally said as Kitty sat down next to her.

Taking a sip from her glass, Kitty shrugged her bare shoulders. "Nothing really I guess."

"You sure don't look like nothing is wrong?" Sally said observantly, something that girls in her and Kitty's profession got good at. "It's Matt Dillon, isn't it?"

Again Kitty shrugged and took a drink.

"What happened?" Sally asked, moving closer to Kitty.

"Nothing happened." Kitty lied.

"Kitty." Sally said. "Talk to me, please."

"Alright, alright." Kitty said, giving in. "We went for a walk and then we came back to my room and he kissed me and now I haven't seen him for four days."

"Hmm…have you went looking for him?" Sally asked. "That's how I got my Jake, I didn't let him forget about me."

Kitty laughed, but there was no humor in it, "I am NOT going to go and track down Matt Dillon."

Matt felt horrible the whole ride to Spearville, regret weighing heavy on his mind. He should have went and seen Kitty, talked to her and maybe snuck in a kiss or two before he left. Shaking his head sourly, Matt wondered just what all he may have muddled up.

When Kitty saw Chester walk into the Long Branch she went over and stood beside him. "Hello Chester."

"Oh, hello Miss Kitty. Your lookin' right purdy today."

"Thank you Chester." Kitty said. Using her clear advantage with him, Kitty asked, "So how's Matt been Chester? I haven't seen him for a few days."

"Oh Mister Dillon, he ain't in town right now. He had to ride over ta Spearville."

"Oh." Kitty said. _That explains why I haven't seen him around._ "Do you know when he should be back?"

Chester shook his head. "I don't rightly know Miss Kitty. When he left he said he should only be gone a couple of days."

"Oh. Well thank you Chester and tell Sam that, that beer is on me." Kitty said before turning away from Matt's assistant.

Chester smiled brightly at her and said before she turned away, "Thank ya kindly Miss Kitty."

Kitty decided that since the bar room wasn't that busy that she would go back up to her room for a while and try to collect her thoughts before things did get busy. It would also give her time to think about things. What Chester had said made sense to her, Matt was the Marshal, therefore he had responsibilities, besides she didn't have any claim on him that said that he had to tell her where he was going, no claim that said they _had_ to spend time together. They were just friends, friends that had stupidly shared a kiss.

As Matt rode back to Dodge from Spearville he gave Buck his head and lost himself in his thoughts. Thoughts that right now were solidly centered on Kitty and what had happened between them almost a week before. It had probably been stupid of him to kiss her, but darn it, it had felt good and had been well worth all the anguish his mind was going through now. Oh yeah, well worth it. He was going to have to go and talk to her when he got back, he had a few things to say.


	17. Chapter 17

_Author's Note: So I guess everyone felt like I kind of left them hanging by a thread huh? Hope this answers your mind eating questions._

Adventures of a Young Matt Dillon

Chapter 17

As soon as Matt rode back into Dodge, he left Buck at Moss Grimricks stable and then headed back to his office. He needed to change clothes and get rid of a little trail dust from himself before he went to talk to Kitty he decided. He just hoped that she wouldn't be to busy or refuse to talk to him. Walking into the office he found Chester leaned back in his chair, feet propped up on the corner of the desk snoring away. Slamming the door loudly, Matt smiled to himself as he watched his assistant come wide awake, almost fall out of the chair, before righting himself and smiling up at Matt. "Oh hello Mister Dillon."

"Hello Chester." Matt greeted his assistant, forcing himself to not say anything about Chester's napping. "Anything happen while I was gone?"

"No sir. Town was real quiet."

"Good." Matt said. Then looking at the clock, he said, "I'm going to knock some of this trail dust off and then maybe go have a drink."

Chester looked at Matt, then the floor and then back at Matt. "Were you going to go over to the Longbranch Mister Dillon?"

"I was thinkin' that's where I would probably end up, why Chester?"

"Well, that's good. Miss Kitty she was lookin' for ya yesterday and then again earlier today."

"Oh." Matt said, pulling out a clean shirt and tossing it down on the cot before he began to unbutton his other shirt. "Did she say what she wanted?"

"No sir."

"Oh." Matt said again, this time pulling the clean shirt on, buttoning it up and then putting his vest back on. He finished all these task before saying, "Well then I guess while I'm havin' my drink I can talk to her and see what she wanted."

"Yes sir, Mister Dillon." Chester said.

Kitty was sitting by herself, playing a lonely game of solitare, thinking about Matt, when she heard footsteps on the boardwalk. Looking up, she saw to her treturous delight, Matt Dillon, filling the doorway. Waving a hand at him, she waited patiently until he had walked in and came across the floor to stand near where she was sitting. Then she looked up at him expectantly, telling him with her eyes that she expected him to speak first.

"Hi Kitty." Matt said, his voice low, almost hesitant.

Kitty looked up at him, trying to steel herself, knowing full well that she was going to have a hard time remaining mad at him. "Matt. Did you have a good trip to Spearville?"

Matt shrugged his massive shoulders. "I don't think any trip to Spearville is ever good." He said before taking a pause and then leaning closer towards her and in an almost whispher saying, "Ah Kitty, I was wondering if you have time to take a little walk with me and talk?"

Kitty made a big deal out of looking around the empty bar room before standing and walking over to the bar where Bill Pence was going over some paper's. She spoke to him quietly for a moment before she came back to Matt and said, "Sure. Just let me go upstairs and get my shawl. I'll meet you out back."

Matt nodded and watched as Kitty walked up the stairs before he went out the door and around the back of the Long Branch. Still inside watching, Bill Pence just simply shook his head. _Young folks,_ he thought, _Hotter than fire for each other one minute and madder than a rained on hen the next._

Kitty quickly grabbed her wrap and then quickly went down the back steps where she found Matt waiting for her. "Matt, I'm ready."

Matt took her arm and they began to walk towards the outskirts of Dodge. Things were quiet for quite some time before Kitty decided to break the silence. "Matt, you said you wanted to talk."

Matt swallowed hard and nodded. "I'm sorry Kitty."

"For what?" Kitty shot back, hoping that he wouldn't say he was sorry for kissing her. If he did she just very well may shoot him.

"For taking off and not talking to you." Matt said. "I guess I just needed some time to think about things."

Kitty nodded, relieved that he hadn't told her that he was sorry for kissing her. "So what did you think about?"

Matt smiled at her sheepishly, "The other night mostly, and I thought about how bad I felt for not stopping to see you before I left."

"Well…" Kitty said slowly. "I was pretty upset with you, for just taking off like that, but I guess I can forgive you."

Matt smiled. "What about the other…things?"

"I guess we need to discuss that cowboy." Kitty said. She knew what she wanted, she just hoped that Matt felt the same way.

They walked in silence for a little while more until they came to a massive oak tree, where they both sat down. It was there that Kitty took the reins and said to Matt, "Matt, I'm not sorry about what happened the other day, in my room."

Matt breathed in a sigh of relief. "That's good Kitty. I don't regret it either, in fact I would like it to become a habit."

Hearing his words caused Kitty's heart to soar. Leaning into Matt, she said, "I would like that too, cowboy."

Matt gathered her up in his arms then and kissed her soundly before he pulled back and looked at her. "Kitty, I want you to be my girl but before you say anything, I need to make sure that you understand a few things."

Kitty nodded and then waited for Matt to continue speaking.

"I'm a man of the law Kitty, and because of that, I've made enemies for myself. Because of that, I can't offer you much. I guess what I'm tryin' to say is that I want you to be my girl but I can't promise you much more."

Kitty nodded silently. Not liking what she was hearing but she would accept it, she had to if she wanted to be with Matt and that desire out weighed her others. Besides maybe she could get him to change his mind in the future. "I can accept that and Matt, I'd love to be your girl."

"Good." Matt said, wrapping an arm around her and pulling her in close.

They sat and talked for a while more and then Matt walked Kitty back to the Long Branch. As he was leaving, Matt turned and looked at her, "I'll see ya later Kitty."


	18. Chapter 18

AYMD

Chapter 18

Disclaimer: I don't own 'em.

Matt and Kitty were only able to see each other for a few minutes total over the next few days but Matt made more of an effort to stop in and see her and Kitty found her eyes as well as her feet wandering towards the jailhouse whenever she went out, often taking the long way around on her outings so that she could pass it by and hope to catch a glimpse of Matt, which she usually didn't. Finally after three days of not seeing him Kitty took matters into her own hands and sitting down at the table into her room, quickly but carefully wrote a note to Matt.

_**Matt-**_

_**Meet me at Silver Creek tomorrow at noon. I'll bring the food. You just bring your big handsome self. Kitty**_

Matt had been in Junction City, dealing with some stolen horses but when he returned he found the carefully folded note stuck under his pillow. Pulling it out he felt a big grin spread across his face as he read. Across from him, sitting on his own cot, Chester gave him a funny look. "Somethin' funny Mister Dillon?" Chester asked.

Wiping the grin from his face, Matt shook his head. "No, no, Chester. Uhm, do you think you can keep an eye on things tomorrow?"

"Sure Mister Dillon. Why?"

Leave it to Chester to ask questions. "I have to ride out into the country and I'll be gone all day."

"Oh." Chester said. Then he asked, "Do you want me to go with you Mister Dillon?"

"No Chester. I'll be fine. You just stay here in town and keep an eye on things."

"Yes sir."

The next morning Matt woke up early, anticipation about his date with Kitty bringing him awake sooner than he would have liked. He got up, dressed and then put the coffee on to boil; he didn't want to have to drink Chester's coffee on a day like today. The coffee had just finished boiling when Chester woke up, draping the room in much needed silence. Matt took a cup and filled it before moving to sit outside and watch Dodge wake up.

In the Long Branch kitchen, Kitty Russell was busily cooking for the meal that she had planned with Matt later that day. She wasn't sure if he was going to show up but she sure hoped that he did. She was looking forward to their day alone at Silver Creek.

Matt tried to keep to his normal routine for the early morning hours, he shaved and then he went to breakfast with Doc and Chester. "Chester said you had to go out of town again Matt." Doc said as Matt came in and sat down with the other two.

"That's right Doc. I have some things that I need to take care of out there today."

"She isn't red headed is she?' Doc asked quietly.

Not sure what to say, Matt just stayed quiet, giving Doc all the answer he needed. He was happy for his two friends, in fact he had been a little worried about his young friend. When he had first came to Dodge all he seemed to do was work, eat and sleep. When Doc was a younger man he and the other men his age always found time for carousing and courting the girls, it seemed that what Matt had needed though was Kitty to show up.

Matt kept up his end of the conversation during their meal but as soon as he had finished he looked towards the clock on the wall and then said to Chester, "I best be goin' now Chester. I'll see you later."

"Yes sir Mister Dillon." Chester said to Matt. Then turning to Doc made the comment, "I don't believe Mister Dillon is going out into the country to just check on things Doc. I think he's goin' to meet a gal."

"Well, you, you think what you want to Chester but I believe Matt."

About eleven o'clock, Kitty slipped from the back door of the Long Branch and stepped up into her rented buggy where she had already packed up the meal she was taking with her to Silver Creek. She had also told Bill Pence to expect her to be gone for most of the day. He had smiled and told her to have a nice time. She just hoped that she made it Silver Creek before Matt and that they were able to find each other easily. She had only visited the spot once before and that time had been with Matt when they were getting acquainted, and he had taken her fishing.

Matt rode to Silver Creek and then found the spot that he always went fishing and where he had taken Kitty once before. He hoped that Kitty thought to come to this place as well. Flipping open his watch, Matt noted the time and then stripped Buck of his saddle before hobbling him and let him graze. Then Matt himself found a shady spot and pulled his hat low over his eyes. He would nap until Kitty showed up with that lunch.

Kitty drove her single horse and buggy carefully out towards Silver Creek over the rutted and windy road that lead there. She hoped that she would get there before Matt did but if she didn't that would be fine too. She just wanted to be able to spend time with him and this seemed to be the only way. Pulling up the spot she saw Buck and he nickered a greeting to the mare that was pulling her buggy. Kitty smiled and looked around for Matt but not seeing him she pulled up further and then saw him lying under the shade of the cottonwood tree, napping.

Smiling to herself like she knew all the secrets of the world, Kitty stepped down from the buggy and walked over to where Matt lay. Slowly, she lowered herself down next to him put her face next to his, giving him a whisper of a kiss before pulling back looking at his face. "My my you are a handsome man cowboy."

Matt felt his lip twitch at her comment. He had to be careful or she was going to realize that he wasn't really asleep. Then he felt it, a blade of grass, softly touching him under the chin. He felt his lip twitch again, he fought to keep it strait, and then he heard Kitty's voice. "Cowboy, why don't you get up and unload this picnic basket for me." Deciding that his ruse was up, Matt opened his eyes and pushed back his hat, giving a big fake yawn. "Oh Kitty, I must have fell asleep waiting for you."

"Um-hmm."

Matt smiled, stood and followed her over to the buggy. "So what did you bring to eat Kitty?"

"Is that all you think about?" Kitty asked.

"No. I think about a lot of things."

"Uh-huh. Like what?" Kitty challenged.

Matt blushed as he thought about those "other things". "Things I like to keep to myself."

"Sure Matt, sure."

Kitty carried a blanket over to a nice grassy spot, while Matt followed behind carrying the very full picnic basket in one hand. Then he waited and held it while Kitty spread the blanket out before he sat it down. "What did you pack in there Kitty? Half a month's worth of food?" Matt had been treated to Kitty's cooking once before and he was truly hoping that Kitty had made him one of her pies.

"No. But as I recall the last time we picnicked together you _ate_ half a month's worth of food." Kitty said, removing a few things from the basket. "Will you please go and unhitch my mare for me while I get things set out?"

Matt lay back on the blanket, he was full. Leaning back against the tree that he had used earlier he watched as Kitty began to pick things up. "Kitty why don't you just leave that and come on over here and rest."

"Because I don't want to attract ants. Besides you might get hungry later and I don't want what little there is left to go to waste." Kitty said, continuing to pick up items and put them back into her basket. When she finished her task she moved over to lie down next to Matt. "What are you thinking now cowboy?"

"How good that was." Matt said, from under the shade of his hat.

"That's all?"

"What a pretty gal the cook is." Matt said playfully.

"I can agree with that." Kitty said. "What else?"

"How nice it is out here." Matt said.

"Um-hmm." Kitty agreed. It was a beautiful spot. The cottonwoods created a nice shady canopy above their heads and the grass a soft mattress beneath their backs. Kitty raised her head and laid a hand on Matt's chest. "Say Matt, have you ever went skinny dipping?"

Matt opened one eye to look at her, "Sure all the time when I was a kid, why?"

Kitty gave him a naughty look, "Well I was just thinking we're all alone out here..."

Matt sat up and opened his other eye. "You want to go skinny dipping Kitty?"

Kitty gave Matt and noncommittal shrug of her shoulders. "Do you?"

Matt looked at Kitty with fire in his eyes, they had yet to go farther than that one fiery kiss in her room but he would take anything he could get and if Kitty wanted to go skinny dipping, then he would do it, willingly.

Kitty looked at Matt; she could see the excitement in his eyes and for a moment thought about reneging her idea but then decided to throw caution to the wind. "Sure. It'll be fun."

Matt began to push himself up. "Alright. I'll meet you in the water."

Kitty rose then and moved off behind a bush where she quickly removed her dress, petticoats and other undergarments. Then she held them in front of her as she tip toed towards the water and jumped in, resisting the urge to scream as her bare skin hit the cool water. When she came up she saw Matt, he seemed to be experiencing the same thing she was, cold water shock.

Timmy and Quincy Parker were cousins who's parents farms joined together not far from Silver Creek. They had been out hunting all day and were now making their way to the creek to get some water before they headed home. Their hunting trip had been unsuccessful so they would get a drink and then head back to their respective homes for the evening. However, when they reached the spot where the creek pooled they came upon two sets of clothes and the sound of voices. Moving closer, Timmy and Quincy's mouths fell open at the sight of the naked woman who was standing in the hip deep water. Mouth's agape, Timmy elbowed Quincy. "Look at that!" he squeaked. "A real live woman, nakeder than the day she was born!" he said.

Quincy nodded, unable to speak. They watched as the couple in the water frolicked for a while until Quincy, the younger of the pairs, eyes lighted on the two piles of clothes. Holding a finger to his lips he motioned to his cousin who was still enthralled by the naked woman. "Know what would be real funny?" Quincy asked.

Timmy shook his head, and then returned his attention back to watching Kitty.

"If we took them clothes and run off with them!" Quincy said. "That'd sure teach 'em to take off all their clothes and leave 'em piled up for folks to find!"

"Oh I don't care if that gal never puts clothes on again!" Timmy said to his cousin, though they could see the benefit and humor of taking the clothes as well. Nodding at his cousin he said, "Alright, let's do it."

Carefully both boys snuck out of the bushes and picked up the two piles of clothing. As soon as they had the clothes, they started laughing out loud and took off at a full run down the trail, towards their home. As soon as they got fairly close to home they flung the clothes wide and let them scatter over the prairie.

Matt stopped his play with Kitty. "Did you hear something?"

Kitty smiled at Matt, "No."

Matt swam towards the shore and noticed that every stitch of clothing he had laid there was missing. Then he looked at the rock where Kitty had laid hers, they too were missing. Turning around, Matt said to Kitty, "Uh, Kitty, we have a problem."


	19. Chapter 19

AYMD

Chapter 19

Disclaimer: I don't own 'em

Kitty was sitting on the bank their picnic blanket wrapped around her and, her long red hair hanging down her back in a wet, messy tangle. "I can't believe our clothes just disappeared Matt."

Matt walked out from behind a bunch of bushes with his saddle blanket wrapped around his waist. "I can't believe it either Kitty but it surly happened. Why don't you stay here and I'll go look around and see if I can find whatever I heard a minute ago. I have a feeling that is where our close went."

"Uh-huh Matt. You are not leaving me here by myself." Kitty said, standing up and wrapping the blanket tighter around herself.

Matt looked at her with a lopsided grin. "You sure you want to go traipsing around without your clothes, Kitty?"

"Isn't that what you intend to do?" Kitty asked, giving him a skeptical eye, taking in the sight that was Matt Dillon with a horse blanket wrapped around his middle.

Down the road not far from where Kitty and Matt were trying to work out some sort of plan Timmy and Quincy had stopped running and were now desperately trying to hide the stolen articles of clothing in the weeds. "We gotta hide these clothes and then get the heck outta here!" Quincy said.

"Yeah! I know, that man, he was the marshal from Dodge City and my Pa tolt me once that he could shoot a man deader than stone with very little effort." Timmy told his cousin.

"You don't think he'll shoot us do you?" Quincy asked, fear evident in the high pitched squeak in his voice.

"Nope, cause we aren't gonna be around for him to find us."

Matt was begining to regret using his horse blanket as a way to cover himself; the little hairs on it were making him itch especially now that he was sweating from his walk. He was just thankful that the clothes thieves had been kind enough leave their shoes. Beside him, Kitty had her arms pinched tight to her sides, holding up the blanket that she had herself covered with. She could tell that Matt was uncomfortable but at the moment she didn't care because if he thought for one second that she was enjoying herself he had another think coming. Letting her anger spur her on, she stomped on beside him. Not sure what to say to her, Matt slid a sideways glance her way. "I'm sorry Kitty. I sure didn't think that our clothes would uh, get stolen."

Stomping on, Kitty threw Matt a wicked, angry glare. "I'm sorry too, Matt. But you being sorry and me being sorry is not going to change the fact that right now we are very vulnerable."

Matt looked down at his bare chest, which he noticed was beginning to take on a pinkish tone under the hot sun. He had to agree with her, they were vulnerable and being sorry wasn't going to change that fact. "Well…" he broke off as Kitty interrupted him.

"Don't say anything more Matt, just don't say anything more." Kitty said.

They walked about for close to a mile when Matt saw the glint of something shiny in the sun. Looking at Kitty, he asked, "Kitty, did you have any pins or broaches on your dress?"

Nodding her head Kitty said, "Yes, I had a silver pin in my hat. Why?"

"See that glint over there?" Matt said. "I think I may have found our clothes." He hurried towards the spot and was disappointed to see that instead of Kitty's hat pin glaring in the sun, it was just an old bottle catching the light. When Kitty reached his side, he shook his head sadly.

Kitty let out a sigh, "Damn it!" Then her emotions taking her over she began to cry. Matt wasn't sure what to do so he went with his gut instinct and pulled her into his arms. "It's alright Kitty. Let's walk a little farther and if we don't find our clothes then I'll come up with another idea, alright?"

Kitty shot Matt a wary eye and then let her eyes drop before she agreed to go on with him. "Alright. Let's go."

They hadn't walked much farther when Matt found his hat lying in the middle of the road. Bending down, he reached to pick it up, causing his already loosely held saddle blanket to slip from his waist to the ground. Kitty was behind him and as he grabbed for the blanket she began to laugh. "What's the matter cowboy?"

"Nothing." Matt said, pulling the blanket back up and covering himself. He held onto the blanket that time with one hand and picked up his hat with the other.

Walking up beside Matt, Kitty used on hand to run down Matt's burning back to his waist where the blanket rested. "Aww, come on cowboy," she cooed, "I kind of liked the view you just gave me."

Matt laughed dryly. "I'm sure you did and as much as I would like to enjoy what I think your offering, I think we need to take care of our little problem don't you?"

Letting her bottom lip come out into a pout Kitty said, "I guess your right. Lead on Marshal."

Matt put his hat on his head and soon came upon a pant leg sticking out of the grass. He reached down and picked them up, glad to see that his long johns were still in the pant legs just as he had taken them off. "I found them." He said happily. Then he picked up Kitty's dress and petticoats which had been mashed into a ball and shook them out. "I'll just turn my back if you want to go over into that tall grass there and put your dress back on."

"Why the modesty now Marshal?" Kitty asked teasingly, taking the dress and going towards the spot Matt had just mentioned.

"I'm not being modest, Kitty. I just thought that you would like to get dressed away from the road where you won't chance being seen."

"Oh." Kitty said. "You could come down here and join me." She called, as she began to dress.

Matt had taken off his boots and stepped into his long johns and pants while still holding his saddle blanket up with one hand and trying to watch Kitty as she dressed down below him. Once he got his pants up high enough he threw the blanket down, buttoned the pants and sat down in the grass to pull on his socks and boots.

Doctor Galen Adams wasn't sure why he had decided to take the Silver Creek Road back to Dodge that day but he had and since it was such a nice day he was truly enjoying the ride. However, he was having a hard time believing what he was seeing. He was sure that he had just saw a flash of red hair and a very large booted foot sticking out from the edge of the road. Urging Popcorn along a little faster, he pulled up just as a bare chested Matt Dillon stood up. "Matt!" Doc said, jumping down from his buggy. "What's going on?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing?"

"Nope."

"Then why are you sittin' on the side of the road, without your shirt I might add?" Doc asked. "And where is Kitty?"

Kitty quickly finished buttoning up her dress and stepped up the hill to where Matt was. "Hello Doc."

"Kitty!" Doc said in shock of what he saw. "What happened to your hair?"

"Oh I fell in the creek and Matt had to save me." Kitty tried to lie.

Doc saw right through it but let it pass, saying instead. "I see. Well Matt, I suggest you put a shirt on, your going to end up with a terrible sunburn and those are mighty painful."

"Yeah. Thanks for the advice Doc." Matt said, pulling his shirt on and buttoning it. "So what brings you along this road Doc?"

"Oh I just thought I would get a change of scenery." Then not being able to help but tease them a little bit he said, "You two sure are a long ways from the creek. What are you doing clear down here?"

"We took a walk to dry our clothes." Kitty said quickly and smoothly.

"I see." Doc said. "Well can I give you a ride back to your buggy?"

"Sure Doc." Kitty answered for them both. Then she picked up the two blankets and said to Matt. "I've had enough walking for one day haven't you Matt?"

"Yeah." Matt said, noticing that Doc was looking with great interest at the two blankets in Kitty's arms. He just hoped that he didn't say anything more.

Doc saw the blankets but kept his mouth shut. Oh to have caught them doing something totally and ruthlessly spontaneous would have been such a treat to the older man. He was always encouraging Matt to be more carefree and to have a little fun. From the looks of it, Matt had finally taken his advice. What Doc couldn't figure out though was why they were dressing this far down the road. That he supposed would be something he would have to find out later, maybe over morning coffee with Kitty when she tended to let little things like that slip.

When Doc dropped the pair off at the picnic spot he smiled and with a wave of his hand and a slap of the reins on Popcorn's rump he was off again. Watching Doc's buggy leave, Kitty burst out laughing and then fell against Matt. "Oh I thought we were caught there for a minute Matt!"

"I'm not so sure that we weren't." Matt said, wrapping an arm around Kitty. "He's cagey Kitty and he knows a lot more than he lets on most of the time."

"Hmm. Well what do you think about finishing that cold chicken and then heading back to Dodge?" Kitty asked.

"Sounds good Kitty."

After finishing off the food that Kitty had brought with her, Matt caught the horses and hitched up Kitty's buggy before saddling Buck. Then he helped her up into her seat and laid a hand along side her face. "Sorry our clothes got stolen today Kitty. That was the last thing that I expected happening."

"It's alright Matt. It wasn't your fault and it all turned out ok. We at least found our clothes." Kitty said, laying a light hand on his shoulder.

Matt sucked in a gasp of breath. All that sun today swimming and then walking without a hat had rendered him a pretty good sunburn.

"When we get back to Dodge I want you to come and see me and I'll take care of that sunburn."

Matt smiled at her. "Alright Kitty. I'm going to let you go ahead of me and then I'll follow you into town. I'll be around after I do my rounds." Then he leaned up and kissed her.

Kitty kissed him back. "Alright cowboy. I'll be waiting."


	20. Chapter 20

AYMD

Chapter 20

Disclaimer: I don't own 'em. 

When the pair returned to Dodge, Kitty went straight to her room and began gathering up the necessary supplies to help Matt take care of the nasty sunburn he had endured. Then she moved the lamp into the window so that he would know where to find her.

Matt made his rounds as quickly as he could but the sunburn hurt and the burning itch he was experiencing around his waist line was worse. As soon as he finished his round he practically ran back to the Long Branch and Kitty's room. Once there he stripped off his shirt unbuttoned the top buttons on his pants, folding the waist band down.

"Matt what are you doing?"

"I don't know what I got into out there Kitty but something is making me itch like crazy!" Matt said.

Kitty came over and looked down at the band of red, irritated skin at Matt's waist. "Your all broke out around your waist Matt. Maybe you should go and talk to Doc."

"No!" Matt said quickly.

"Well there's nothing I can do for it." Kitty said. "Why won't you go see Doc."

"Because I don't want him finding out what happened."

"How is he going to be able to find out from a little rash Matt?" Kitty said, giggling slightly at his paranoya.

"It's Doc." Matt said. "I thought you said you were going to take care of this sunburn?"

"Ok." Kitty said, then more to herself than Matt she said, "Big baby."

"What was that?"

"Nothing." Kitty said. She had him lie down on the bed and then she covered his back with cool rags, not really knowing what else to do to ease the burn that Matt was feeling.

"Aww. That feels a lot better Kitty." Matt said, his voice muffled from his face being shoved into a pillow.

A few hours later Matt woke up to find Kitty snuggled into his side, sound asleep. The sunburn wasn't hurting so bad anymore but the rash as Kitty had called it was still itching and becoming a major annoyance to him. Maybe Kitty was right and he should go and see Doc. Rolling over, he closed his eyes and went back to sleep.

Two days later Matt gave up trying to be strong and he went to see Doc about the rash that was now circling his wasit line. Stepping into the doctor's office, Matt took his hat off and threw it down on the cot just inside the door. "Doc I need you to look at something."

"Your startin' to sound like Chester." Doc groused before asking. "What do you want me to look at?"

"Well I've got this rash around my waist and I'm not real sure were it came from."

"Well let me see it." Doc said, interested.

Matt situated his clothing so Doc could see the angry red rash. "Matt what in the world did you get into?"

"I don't know Doc."

"Well it's awful irritatied. I can give you some salve to put on it but that's about it." Doc said, pulling off his glasses and stepping to his cabinent. Pulling out a glass jar he handed it to Matt. "There, put that on that rash a couple of times a day until it goes away."

"Ok. Thanks Doc." Matt said.

"That'll be two dollars."

Matt looked at his friend. "Put it on my bill." He said and then he walked out the door.

Doc had been wondering just what Matt and Kitty had been up to that day he had picked them up along the road. They had said that they had been walking to dry their clothes but even Doc was observant enough to know boots didn't dry out that fast. He was going to find out what had happened that day. He was just going to have to be a little wiley to get the story.

Later that day sitting in the Long Branch enjoying a beer with Kitty, Doc decided to see if he could get the story about what had happened the day she and Matt had went to Silver Creek out of her. Swiping his mustache, he looked at his young friend and said, "So it was quite an ordeal you and Matt went through out at Silver Creek the other day huh?"

"What?" Kitty said.

"Well Matt and I were talking and he told me what happened out at Silver Creek the other day when you went picniking." Doc said.

"HE TOLD YOU!" Kitty said, outragged. They had promised each other that they wouldn't tell anyone what had happened.

"Well it was an accident." Doc said smoothly. "He came to me about that rash and I had to know what he had been exposed to to treat it."

That calmed Kitty's temperment a little bit. The rash had been particularly bad and it did need to be treated. "I'm just glad that we found our clothes before anyone came along."

"Uhm-hmm." Doc said, taking a drink of his beer and trying to hold in his laughter. It was all coming together for him now. He had met those boys running down the road like their tails were on fire, he bet they had stolen Matt and Kitty's clothes while they were skinny dipping. Leave it to the young in the world to be so foolish.


	21. Chapter 21

_You all have LadyofDodge to thank for shaking me up and getting me back to work on this story. I gotta say that I have been VERY VERY busy because school is back on again and yes I got to stand in a concession stand and freeze my a off last night at our first football game! And since I'm whining I had a student accidentally wack me in the thumb with a hammer during class yesterday and I am know sporting a overgrown blood blister to remember it by. God I love being an ag teacher! _

_YES I KNOW YOU DIDN'T READ THAT……ENJOY __J__J_

AYMD 21

Disclaimer: I don't own 'em. :)

When Matt arrived at the Long Branch Kitty shot him a look that said, "Step careful mister, I'm mad." Moving carefully towards where she was standing at the end of the bar working on books and eating a hard boiled egg, he said, "Hiya Kitty."

Kitty turned cool eyes toward him. "Matt."

"Anything interesting happen today?" Matt asked hoping that it would be the right thing to say and wouldn't earn him a chewing out.

"It sure did. Doc came to see me." Kitty said. "He told me that you told him about what happened at Silver Creek."

Matt looked a Kitty and swallowed hard, "Kitty, you know that I wouldn't do something like that."

"Well then how did he figure out what happened?"

"I have no idea." Matt said, leaning down on the bar. "But I can guarantee you that he didn't get his information or ideas from me."

Kitty softened a little as she looked into Matt's incredible blue eyes. "Alright Cowboy." She said feeling her anger leave her as quickly as it bubbled up. Needing to change the subject she said, "What have you been up to all day?"

"Oh you know, the same ol, same ol." Matt said nonchalontally.

"Sitting in front of the jail napping with Chester?"

Matt grinned. "I guess if that is what I usually do then yeah."

"Uhm-hmm." Kitty said, then smiling at him coyly, running an almost unseen hand down the inside of Matt's leg as he stood next to him at the bar.

Kitty let her fingers slide down the inside of his thigh and then back up. She smiled at Matt and watched in satisfaction as he lost some of that lawman stiffness that he always had about him melt away at her touch before she pulled her hand back and brought it back up to rest on the bar.

Matt on the other hand, reached a hand up and pulled at his collar, having a little trouble regaining his composure after Kitty's actions. He coughed once and then looked over at her, as she just sat grinning like the proverbial mouse who stole the cheese. Somewhat regaining his composure, Matt said, "Well I just thought I'd stop and say hi before I rode out to Ronnigers.

"Your going out to Will and Bess's?" Kitty asked, her intrest piqued.

"Yeah, there isn't much going on around town and Will asked me almost a month ago to come out and help him with a few things around the farm."

"Oh." Kitty said thoughtfully. Then after a few minutes of thought said, "It wouldn't be possible for you to oh I don't know, take an extra visitor with would it?" She asked expectantly. She hadn't been out to see Bess and the children in quite some time and she always enjoyed going when she could get away.

Matt shrugged. "Sure. I guess I can Moss hitch up a buggy. But what about work?"

Kitty looked around the empty room. "Yeah this place is really hoppin! Let me talk to Bill and see if he can handle things and then just have Moss saddle my horse, I think I'd rather take a ride."

"Ok." Matt said slowly. "How are you going to ride in your dress though?" he said stupidly, wanting to take the words back as soon as the words were out of his mouth. He expected Kitty to light into him about how dumb men where but her mind was in a different frame and she just said instead.

"Give me half an hour Matt and I'll meet you out front."

Matt just smiled and shook his head. Women were something he would never understand ever.

Fourty-five minutes later Matt and Kitty were mounted and headed towards the Ronniger place. Matt on his big buckskin that he called "Buck" and Kitty on her pretty sorrell, white faced, stocking legged mare that she called "Sally". Loping across the sea of prairie grass didn't give them much time for tallking and both easily found themselves lost in their own thoughts.

They had almost reached the Ronngier place when Matt pulled Buck up and waited for Kitty to do the same. "We better slow down now and give these horses a breather." Matt said.

Letting her hat fall back, Kitty smiled at him and nodded her agreement. "Alright Matt. It's been a while since I've riding out like this, I almost forgot how invigerating it was."

Matt smiled at her before responding, "So you say now. Talk to me after we've ridden out and back!"

This began playful teasing between the two about both of them being to soft to be out riding around the prairie like they were and soon they reached the Ronniger homestead. When they arrived they were greeted by four of the older Ronniger children who were playing in the front yard.

"Hiya Marshal!!" they all greeted at the same time when they saw Matt, before coming up and crowding around his horse when he stopped. Upon seeing Kitty they greeted her with the same exuberance and crowded around her as well, talking all at once and all vying for the attention of the two visitors.

"Hold it!" Matt said with a laugh. "One a time ok, alright Tommy, now what was it that you wanted to say."

"I" the boy took a deep breath, "I was sayin' that I'd be happy to take yer horses for ya Marshal Dillon."

"Thank you Tommy. I'd appreciate that." Matt said, he was just about to try and answer all the other questions when he heard the mother of the brood come out of the house.

Bess Ronniger loved company and she especially loved it when Matt Dillon came to visit and better yet brought Kitty Russell with him. It was nice to be able to talk to someone who was not four feet tall and had more than fifteen hundred word vocabulary. "Kitty! Matt! So glad to see you!" the robust woman called out as she made her way to the group.

"Bess!" Kitty cried. "It's so good to see you! How are the babies?"

Seeing that Kitty was busy with the other women and talking about babies and children and other womanly things, Matt directed Tommy to pick up the reins of Kitty's now forgotten horse and they moved towards the corral to turn the animals loose.

"Girls sure are funny aren't they Marshal?" the boy commented.

Matt smiled at the comment, remembering well being that age and thinking that girls were the worst thing on earth and then three to four years later changing his mind and finding girls _very interesting_. He smiled at the boy and said, "Give it time son, they won't always seem that way." He wanted to add that they would always be confusing but he kept that to himself, not wanting to have answer more questions.

After turning Buck and Sally loose, Matt moved off to find Will who was busily reshodding one of his mules in the barn. "Hello Will!" Matt greeted his long time friend.

"Well, Matt! What a surprise!" Will Ronniger, a tall, skinny man, greeted.

"Will." Matt said, stepping forward and shaking his friends hand in greeting. "How are you?"

"I'm well Matt. Did you stop and see Bessie and the children before you came out here?"

"Well Kitty and I kind of got swarmed when we rode in and then Bess came into the yard and shee and Kitty went off to see your newest additions." Matt explained.

"Miss Kitty came along too! Great!" Will said. "Well let me finish this last shoe and then we'll go take care of your horses before we go have a cold drink."

"Sounds good but Tommy helped me put the horses up." Matt said.

"Tommy is a good boy, growing up to fast but a good boy." Will said proudly of his oldest son. The man had 7 children ranging in age from his eight year old twin boys Tommy and Timmy down to his infant daughter Lucy who was just a mere month old.

Inside the house, Kitty was ohing and awing over little Lucy. "She looks just like you Bess!"

"Thank you Kitty." Bess said, pouring them both tea and sitting down across from the slender young red head. She noticed the wistfull look on the girls face and decided that it wouldn't hurt to be frank with her. "So when are you and Matt going to get busy and tie the knot? Start having a few of your own of these little darlings."

Kitty instantly put on her poker face but knew that it was to late to fool her friend. "Matt doesn't want to get married Bess, you know that."

"Neither did my Will until I convinced him." Bess said, with a smile.

"That's different, Bess. Matt can't settle down and," then using her best poker face, Kitty continued, "I'm not ready to settle down either." She hated lying to her friend, especially a friend as good as Bess, looking down at the baby in her arms, she felt all those womanly feelings boil up inside her. The womanly feelings that made a woman yearn for a home and a family.

Watching her young friend across the table look down at little Lucy in her arms, Bess knew that her young friend was lying to not only her but herself as well.

A few minutes later Matt and Will arrived at the house and Bess quickly jumped up to serve them both tall glasses of water that she had just had her son Tim draw from the well.

When Matt saw Kitty holding the baby he felt something inside his chest give a little lurch. "Is this the new Ronniger?" he asked, Kitty.

Looking up at Matt, she nodded and said, "Yes. Would you like to hold her?" Matt shook his head no and Kitty thought that he looked like he was ready to bolt. Kitty noted this and sensing Matt's uncomfort decided that it was time to give the little girl back to Bess. "Here I think she want's to go back to her mama."

"Oh." Bess said, noticing the change in attitude around the table. She took the baby back into her arms before saying, "I think it's time for this little one to go lay down again."

Once the baby was out of the room the conversation turned to more general things like Will's crops, the amount of rain the area had been getting and how business was going in the Longbranch. When the men finished their drink they returned to outside to work on the fence and Bess and Kitty began to work on producing supper for the men, children and themselves as Matt and Kitty had been invited to supper for that evening.

Later that evening, riding home in Will and Bess's wagon, Matt would return it when he returned the next day, Matt and Kitty both enjoyed the cool evening air and their precious time together. "Will and Bess have a beautiful family don't they?"

"I guess." Matt said, not really sure how to answer.

"Do you ever think about having a family Matt?" Kitty said, knowing full well that she was probably taking them down a hurtfull path but unable to stop herself went ahead anyway.

Matt pulled the wagon to a stop and looked at the redhead seated next to him. "I can't think about those things Kitty. I'm a United States Marshal and well, that just doesn't give a man room to think about things like home and family."

"I know that Matt but I still wondered if you thought about it." Kitty said softly.

Wrapping an arm around Kitty, Matt said, "Ah Kit, I'm sorry."

"No it's ok Matt. You told me how it had to be and I accepted that, I still accept that. I don't know why I even let those thoughts surface and then worse yet why I let them out."

Matt tightened his hold on his beautiful red head. "It's alright Kitty. I understand."

Kitty allowed her arms to tighten around Matt before she said, "I love you Matthew Dillon."

"I love you to Kathleen Russell."

They sat that way for a long time that night, simply watching the moon and letting their feelings be conveyed to the other through the beat of their hearts.


End file.
